Intern: Public Health and Educational Equity, Cross-Sector Innovation

This summer internship will be part of the innovative cross-sector team in the White River Valley funded through a grant from the UVM Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships entitled “Every Day Counts: Leveraging Cross-Sector Solutions to Improve School Attendance and Advance Health and Educational Outcomes in Rural Vermont.”  We seek an intern interested in learning about and contributing to cross-sector community-based efforts to improve child health and educational outcomes, with skills in data analysis and visualization, communications and project management.

Organizational missions:  White River Valley Supervisory Union is the primary K-12 education provider for youth and families in the White River Valley.  In this project, WRVSU will partner with health care partners in the region to improve child health and educational outcomes:  HealthHUB is a school-based health clinic providing medical, dental hygiene and mental health services to WRVSU and ONSU schools.  South Royalton Health Center is a high quality, patient-centered, comprehensive, team-based, coordinated, accessible primary medical home for children and families across the White River Valley and beyond.

Intern responsibilities:  The intern will support the team from WRVSU, HealthHUB and South Royalton Health Center to improve school attendance and the link to health through several primary buckets of work:

1. Data collection and analysis:  Analyze attendance data from White River Valley Supervisory Union available from the 2024-25 school year, including trends, reasons for absence, and response
2. Communications:  Support the creation of schedule and content for engagement and education on attendance for students and families
   1. This may include drafting newsletter, email blasts, brochures and website updates, including for fall back to school events and Attendance Awareness Month (September 2025).
   2. Support preparations for family engagement events in fall 2025 on school attendance
3. Data sharing and coordination of care:  Review and support enhancements to shared consent and information sharing forms and procedures between South Royalton Health Center/ HealthHUB and WRVSU.

Learning goals:  We opportunity for significant contribution and learning for the intern in being a member of the cross-sector health and educational team, including the independent work that the intern would lead with support and mentorship.

1. Analyze (and visualize) key trends in school attendance and related health indicators at White River Valley Supervisory Union.  Through this work, become familiar with key health and educational process and outcome data sets in Vermont and practice data analytic and visualization skills.
2. Become exposed to – and assess the strengths, opportunities and challenges in – cross-sector partnerships in the service of children and families.
3. Apply project management and communication skills, core components of future careers, in executing team-based and individual scopes of work.

Logistics:  This is a part-time role (20 hours/week) from June 7 - August 15, 2025.  Work will be paid at $18/hour, with free housing provided.

Context:  This position is part of a cohort of 12 interns working with organizations that support the White River Valley Community Schools.  Funded by the UVM Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, free housing for interns will be provided at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, VT.  Interns will participate in a week-long community orientation, weekly intern cohort workshops for professional development, networking, and reflection and a final sharing event on Monday, August 4, 5:30-7 pm.  

Questions about the cohort? Contact UVM Internship Coordinator kristen.andrews@uvm.edu.