Summer Spotlight: Ella Poppinga '27

Throughout the summer, Colgate Athletics Communications will be spotlighting student-athletes who are bridging the gap between the classroom and the professional world through impactful internships and work-study opportunities.

Background

Name, Sport: Ella Poppinga '27, Women's Soccer
Class Year & Major: Senior, Neuroscience
Company/Organization Name: UPenn Medicine - Neurology/Neurogenetics Department
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.
Official Job/Intern Title: Student Research Assistant/Intern

Experience

 How did you find out about this internship, and what made you apply?

• I had met a Genetic Counselor alum at Sophomore Connections and reached out during my junior spring to discuss her career path and to learn more about her job and what she does, which led to discussing possible internship opportunities.
   

What does your company do, and what are your main responsibilities?  

• The neurogenetic counselors at UPenn Medicine help patients determine if genetic testing is something they would be interested in or benefit from doing, based on if there is a family history of genetic variants that can lead to neurological disorders. They are also responsible for delivering test results and helping to counsel them on what that means, what implications that could have, and to be able to then plan for their future based on the results.
   

Walk us through a typical day on the job. What does a “win” look like for you in this role? 

• Day-to-day looks very different for me. Sometimes I am working remotely from home or a local cafe, other days I’m in the office at the Hospital or University of Pennsylvania, and some days I am shadowing patient visits at the ALS Clinic at Pennsylvania Hospital. From a patient standpoint, a “win” for me is when the genetic counselor gets to deliver a negative or normal result to if a family member did not test positive for a genetic variant. This means that they are no more likely to develop a disorder or illness than the general population if their family had previously been at higher risk due to known relatives who had a genetic variant. At the end of the day, most people want answers or an explanation for their symptoms and them receiving that is the best case-scenario.

Student-Athlete Connection

What skills from your sport have been most useful in the workplace? 

• So far in my internship, the skills I have built through soccer have been very useful in the workplace. Time management, goal-oriented focus, resilience, and adaptability have played an important role in my success. There have been many last-minute schedule changes and adjustments that I have needed to adapt to, and also ensure that all my prep work and research is done before, which I have been able to do with those skills. My communication skills have also been really helpful to ensure I get the most out of my experience by overcommunicating and taking advantage of all the opportunities I am offered. 
   

How are you managing your summer training/workout schedule while working your internship hours? 

• This summer, I am playing with a WPSL summer league team that is relatively close by, and because practices are typically in the evening, it makes balancing both easier to accomplish. Also, because UPenn Medicine is connected to the University, I have nearby access to their gym and fitness facilities while I’m here in Philly. Balancing soccer and classes during the year has prepared me to be able to manage my time to prioritize finding a balance between learning and enjoying my internship while still getting in my summer training. 
   

How has your coursework here prepared you for the challenges of this internship? 

• I would say a lot of the upper-level neuro electives I have taken have particularly prepared me for a lot of the work I am doing. A large part of my day-to-day is doing independent research, research on specific neurological conditions, and supporting research for studies. This has required me to read, analyze, and understand scientific papers, which I now have a lot of experience with through my classes at Colgate. Also, while I am still learning a lot every day, taking Behavioral Genetics last semester was really helpful in giving me a baseline of knowledge to start off. 

Reflections and Looking Ahead

 What has been the most exciting project or favorite memory of your internship so far?

• I have really enjoyed all the shadowing I have done and being able to see firsthand what patient visits and interactions are like in both genetic counseling and neurology, as well as the UPenn FTD/ALS Clinic (frontotemporal dementia). I am really looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of clinical research procedures, including getting to observe various MRI scans and participant intake questionnaires. 

How has this experience shaped your career goals?

• I’m hoping this experience will be able to help me further narrow down my career interests and help determine what my next steps post grad are whether thats masters, a PhD, or working first. So far I have gotten a chance to observe multiple people at Penn Med in different roles and jobs which has been really helpful in my understanding of what other jobs exist to begin with and what pathways people have taken/had to get to where they are.  

What advice would you give to your teammates who are starting to look for internships?

• Don’t be afraid to ask. My internship was not a formal one that I applied for, it was created by networking and by simply asking, and it has turned into an experience I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. I am getting so many opportunities, not just in genetics but across many fields of medicine, including cardiogenetics, general medicine, prenatal genetics, and more!