HUNTSVILLE – HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is celebrating 15 years of discovery, progress and innovation in 2023.
During this milestone year, the institute will celebrate the BioTrain Internship program, its premiere student training program that coincided with its conception in 2008.
Interns that have gone through the program move on to their next steps, whether continuing their education, a biotech career or a complete pivot. But one of the very first BioTrain interns decided to stay and lead the program for the last eight years.
“Having been a member of the first cohort of BioTrain Interns, I knew what a unique and impactful program it was,” Michele Morris, BioTrain class of 2009, said. “After gaining a few years of experience in Educational Outreach, I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to lead this impressive program.”
Michele is now the Director of Workforce Development, directly overseeing the BioTrain internship program and its mentors. “Interacting with the students and our inspiring mentors is one of the best parts of my job.”
HudsonAlpha is meeting and learning from the students the program inspired, and looking forward to where the program will be in the next 15 years. A celebration is planned for Friday in the atrium.
The internship program enables students to connect their classwork with real-world job experiences in the biotechnology sphere, including with resident biotech companies on the HudsonAlpha campus. HudsonAlpha’s associate companies benefit from the BioTrain Internship program, with nearly two dozen former BioTrain interns working for associate companies on campus.
Nearly 400 students have gone through the program over the last 15 years. One of the goals of the BioTrain Internship program is to promote workforce development for the state of Alabama, so eligibility is limited to students that attend a college in Alabama or are permanent residents of Alabama and attend college elsewhere. More than three-quarters of the student participants grew up in Alabama. BioTrain interns represent more than 20 Alabama colleges and universities.
“HudsonAlpha really focuses on local education,” Claudia Chu, BioTrain class of 2018, said. “I got to benefit from that as a resident of Alabama and also got to work with my fellow neighbors in exploring this new field that is constantly changing. That is the part I enjoyed the most, that HudsonAlpha focuses on people who are in and around the state.”
The next round of applications for the BioTrain internship program is Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, 2024.
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