Our students come from an array of backgrounds and experiences. We strive to offer placements that can offer unique experiences and knowledge for students interested in learning about the military-connected populations. Tera Sparks completed her internship this Fall, supporting programs and services including our Veterans Day Event and our Food Pantry Initiative. We asked Tera to share more about her experience.

Tera writes:

Hi my name is Tera Sparks and I was an intern at the Chez Veteran Center during the fall semester of 2023. I am a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences and minoring in Spanish and have plans to pursue a career as a Physician’s Assistant after graduation. 

My connection to the military is my younger brother who is in the Marine Corps. He is currently deployed in Japan and played a large role in my decision to pursue an internship at the Chez. As someone who had little prior knowledge of the military before my brother joined, I found many answers to questions I had through working at the CVC. During my time there I learned a lot about military culture and with a more healthcare-framed mindset. 

A personal goal I had for myself going into this internship was to educate myself on military culture as the military is a very specific group that faces adversity in relation to their healthcare from the lack of understanding civilians have on their lifestyle. From this internship, I had the opportunity to talk with the staff and residents about their experiences and better understand their perspectives. I now feel that I will be prepared when I enter the workforce to properly meet and treat the needs of our nation’s heroes in a way they feel comfortable and understood with.