PROJECT SUMMARY
The number of cancer healthcare providers and researchers is not expected to keep pace with the aging
population of the United States, creating an imperative to educate and motivate the next generation of cancer
professionals. Experiential research laboratory internships have been shown to be an impactful way to
incentivize students toward careers in cancer research, but often such programs are limited in number and
scope, thus impeding their potential to influence undergraduate course selection and long-term career goals.
Moreover, such experiences do not emphasize critical ancillary skills, such as scientific literacy, designing and
presenting posters and seminars, and networking. The Fox Chase Cancer Center-University of Delaware
Summer Fellowship Program seeks to provide twelve underclassmen with a residential, intensive 10-week
summer internship focused on basic laboratory skill acquisition, a cancer research experience tailored to the
student's interests, and complementary training and guidance in professional development. Students will be
recruited to this program via an introductory, day-long exposure to the Center, which will include brief research
laboratory rotations and discussion of cancer-focused, STEM-based careers; this introductory visit is open to all
University of Delaware students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Metrics of programmatic success will be
obtained through weekly meetings with mentors and students, pre- and post-internship evaluations, and long-
term tracking of student career decisions. Through this program, we aim to incorporate students into the cancer
research community, inspire them to pursue careers that are critical in the ongoing battle against cancer, and
equip them with the tools required to succeed as professionals.
