The Delaware County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the second session of a series on “Cultivating Synergy Between Higher Education and the Business Community of Delaware County.”
The upcoming session on June 10 will focus on Internship Collaboration.
The session takes place 8:30 to 10:30 AM at the Williamson College of Trades, 106 S. New Middletown Road in Media.
The session will convene leaders in education, business, and workforce development for a morning of discussion, learning, and collaboration on building stronger internship programs and converting interns into long-term employees.
Event Highlights include:
- Two interactive breakout discussions focused on:
• Building high-impact internship pathways
• Converting interns into employees and improving retention - Expert panels featuring leaders from local colleges, businesses, and government
- Open networking and optional campus tours
The session is open to higher education professionals, HR leaders, business owners, nonprofit directors, and anyone working to bridge the academic-to-employment pipeline in Delaware County.
Its objective is to identify effective models for launching and sustaining internship programs, exploring strategies to transition interns into full-time employees, and to share tools and practices that improve onboarding and retention outcomes.
Registration also takes place in person at 8:30 AM at the session.
From 9 to 9:10 AM there will be welcoming and framing remarks.
An overview of the breakout format at the session will be explained between 9:10 and 9:15, briefly explaining the session objectives, structure, and flow.
Breakout sessions will take place from 9:15 to 10 AM.
The group will reconvene and close out the session between 10:05 and 10:15 AM, briefly recapping key insights from each of the breakout groups.
From 10:15 to 10:30 AM there will be an opportunity for informal networking and a chance to take an optional tour of the Williamson campus and learn more about its programs.
Breakout sessions
Breakout Room 1: Building High-Impact Internship Pathways
- Focus:
Exploring effective strategies to develop and scale internship programs in collaboration with academic institutions and nonprofit partners. - Moderator:
- Dr. Najiba Benabess, Dean of Business, Neumann University.
- Panel:
- Dr. Lauren Miltenberger, Director, MPA Program, Villanova – Expert in nonprofit management and internship models.
- Brinker Simpson – Can share challenges and wins in managing interns within a small team.
- Erin Gabriele, Director of Student Employment Services, Delaware County Community College – Institutional perspective on connecting students to practical experience.
- Breakout Room 2: From Intern to Employee – Retention-Focused Hiring Models
- Focus:
Understanding how organizations can successfully transition interns into long-term hires through thoughtful onboarding and mentorship strategies. - Moderator:
- Dr. Jennifer Nesbitt, PSU Brandywine Chief Academic Officer Academic Affairs.
- Panel:
- Allie Garrett, MPA Graduate, Villanova – Former intern in local government, now working in the Borough of Media.
- Ana Welsh, Leadership Coach and Founder – Expert on onboarding Gen Z interns and building professional readiness skills.
- Michael J. Rounds, President Williamson College of the Trades
- Experience with donor-funded placements and workforce development.
- Katrina Robinson Assistant Director, Career Development Career Design and Development, Widener University
- Advocate for sustainable internship-to-career pipelines.
