High school sophomores enrolled in the Elon Academy will have the opportunity this summer to intern for LabCorp, whose top official visited campus March 28 to lunch with students with career interests that range from criminal justice to architecture.
LabCorp president and CEO David King, Elon University president Leo M. Lambert, and other top leaders from both the school and the laboratory testing company joined about a dozen Academy teenagers for a noontime meal in Johnston Hall.
The Burlington-based company is a financial supporter of the Elon Academy. Its administrators designed the paid internship program after similar efforts by a bank in New York. By taking part in the internship program, corporate and campus leaders hope the students learn social and professional skills that will assist them in pursuing their career goals.
“One of the things we talk about at LabCorp all the time is thinking big and acting small,” King said. “If we don’t do the small things right, like taking care of our customers, we’re not going to be successful.”
The Elon Academy is a three-year college access program for academically talented Alamance County students who would be the first in their families to attend college or who show a financial need. The students are selected for the academy during their freshman year in high school and spend part of the next three summers engaging in academic and enrichment activities on campus.
Lambert shared stories at the lunch about his first jobs as a teenager, from picking beans to painting schools. He said he was selected for the painting job because he was the only person who pushed his chair in after standing up from the interview.
“It’s those tiny little things about how you conduct yourself in a business setting that set you apart from other people,” he told students. “This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn lessons about life.”
In addition to King, two other LabCorp officials offered students encouragement and advice: Eric Lindblom, senior vice president for investor and media relations, an Tom Kaminski, director of the Office of the CEO.
Darris Means, assistant director of student life and leadership development for the Academy, is coordinating the program with LabCorp.