During her internship at a dental practice, PA student Estelle Su ’27 discovered that every patient interaction is an opportunity to listen, connect, and make someone’s day a little better.
Fueling Student Success: Meet the 2025 Ignite Fellows
Internships continue to be one of the most powerful ways for our students to connect classroom learning with real-world experience. Thanks to the Ignite Fellowship, more Dolphins each year are able to pursue these opportunities without worrying about financial stress. Whether supporting housing, meals, or lost wages, the fellowship makes it possible for students to focus on learning, growing, and making an impact.
This year’s Ignite Fellows have jumped into internships that stretched their skills, expanded their networks, and clarified their career paths. Meet some of the students who turned opportunity into transformation this summer.
Get Inspired by This Year's Fellowship Recipients
“I researched various aspects of working on a film set during production, such as camera and light departments. I enjoyed learning about the process and discussing important topics of combining art and factory-like organization with the director, cinematographer, and producers. The production crew was very knowledgeable and created a friendly and cozy atmosphere so that we felt like a big family by the end of filming. Without the fellowship, I would not have been able to cover all of the expenses, which could have meant losing this opportunity to get familiar with the industry and its professionals. I am glad that I was able to successfully complete the internship and find new connections with professionals in the film industry.” – George ’26, theatre arts and communications major, feature film crew in New York City
“I had the opportunity to work on projects that deepened my understanding of cloud security, compliance, and government authorization processes. I gained valuable experience collaborating with professionals who ensure that AWS services meet rigorous federal standards for data protection. This hands-on exposure not only strengthened my technical and analytical skills but also gave me insight into the real-world impact of secure cloud infrastructure in supporting critical government operations from a private organization perspective.” – Jordan ’26, cybersecurity, Amazon Web Services (AWS) FedRAMP Team
“It’s always been a dream of mine to do work like this, it was great to have these experiences and have it confirmed that it is truly something I want to continue doing. It was an honor not only to get incredible real-life experience in music marketing and event promotion, but also to be exposed to incredible talent and new music every week. This support has truly helped me to grow professionally, gain real-world experience in a field I want to continue working in, and be a part of an incredibly meaningful experience.” – Allyson ’26, communications, Skaneateles Festival
“This opportunity provided me with valuable hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement, deepened my understanding of community policing, and strengthened my commitment to public service. I was able to work alongside dedicated officers, observe real-world applications of criminal justice principles through ride-alongs, and gain insights that cannot be taught in a classroom” – Amin ’26, criminology, Syracuse Police Department’s Community Relations Division
“I feel incredibly fortunate to accumulate understanding and mechanisms about these diseases. This experience has given me both the knowledge and the motivation to continue this research and carry what I am learning forward, for which I am truly grateful. This scholarship has also given me an opportunity to contribute work that may one day help those living with ALS.” – Sierra ’26, biological sciences, lab research studying neurodegeneration, specifically ALS
“This experience opened my eyes to how much zookeepers do beyond direct animal care. To prepare medicine, building and maintaining exhibits, preparing and creating enrichment to encourage natural behaviors, assisting in animal procedure and checkups at the zoo vet clinic, training animals, and so much more. I am extremely grateful for this experience, being able to interact with many of the animals there really deepened my dreams and goals of becoming a veterinarian, and working with exotic animals whether that is in the wild or at a zoo.” – Darline ’26, environmental studies, Small Mammals & Large Primates Department at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Ella ’27 spent six weeks volunteering with Imfundo Kahle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the educational and creative development of children and adolescents from impoverished communities in rural areas in the Amazon forest. “In addition to my service work, I was immersed in Peruvian culture by living with a local host family, experiencing traditional customs, foods (for example learning from my host mum how to make ‘tacachos’ which are yellow balls formed from peeling, boiling and mashing plantain with onion, cilantro, and turmeric), and further immersing myself in the language. This experience has strengthened my desire to pursue a career in the nonprofit and international development sector.”
“My focus this summer was tasks inside the cyber infrastructure fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, which proved to be both challenging and rewarding. I worked with my IT team leader to identify potential weaknesses in our systems and to implement solutions to fix those risks. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of how important it is to maintain a secure infrastructure, especially with businesses becoming more and more reliant on technology as opposed to paper.” – Nicholas ’26, cybersecurity, Desktop Support intern at McNeil and Co.
“This internship allowed me to build both my leadership and economic skills in a fast-paced professional environment. I am also looking forward to the next summer. This internship gave me the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned at Le Moyne in a setting that values both personal and professional development.” – Navya ’28, Camp Vega bookkeeping intern.
“I gained hands-on experience in the arts while working with a supportive and creative community. As a first-generation college student, receiving this fellowship meant more than just funding; it provided me with the freedom to pursue an unpaid internship that aligned perfectly with my academic interests and personal passions.” – Kiera ’26, psychology, Saratoga Clay Arts Center
“My internship gave me the chance to build my professional network and explore what a future in underwriting could look like. It’s been an incredible step toward finding my place in the risk management and insurance industry. While my time with Haylor, Freyer & Coon has come to an end, the learning opportunities have reminded me of my excitement to be in the Risk Management and Insurance industry.” – Sean ’27, Risk Management and Insurance, marketing intern at Haylor, Freyer & Coon
Advocacy in Action
Category
Through an internship with the Syracuse Peace Council, Syd Kellogg ’26 discovered that lasting change begins with connection—and that advocacy is most powerful when it builds community.
For Angelina Rodriguez ’27, nature is more than a place to explore—it’s a calling. The environmental science major spent her summer at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve, studying water quality, leading…
During her internship at a dental practice, PA student Estelle Su ’27 discovered that every patient interaction is an opportunity to listen, connect, and make someone’s day a little better.
Advocacy in Action
Category
Through an internship with the Syracuse Peace Council, Syd Kellogg ’26 discovered that lasting change begins with connection—and that advocacy is most powerful when it builds community.
For Angelina Rodriguez ’27, nature is more than a place to explore—it’s a calling. The environmental science major spent her summer at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve, studying water quality, leading…
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