HONORS
in New York
New York connection
Summer program trains students in various aspects of healthcare By Kora Burton
F
uture physicians Avni Ahuja and Emma Tucker arrived in New York this past summer ready to learn more about healthcare, and flew back to Athens with a desire to expand their medical careers in new directions. The Honors students, who are also Foundation Fellows, participated in an eight-week internship with the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) through the Honors in New York internship program. Every year, two Honors students are selected to travel to New York and work with GNYHA, which provides advocacy for their member hospitals and resources for them in terms of wellness and regulation. Working behind the scenes at GNYHA gives students a new understanding of the major players in healthcare and how they interact. A cornerstone of the Honors in New York internship program is the unique mentorship of its coordinator, Susan Waltman. An alumna of the UGA Honors Program—she earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and master’s in social work before receiving her law degree from Columbia University— Susan serves as GNYHA’s executive vice president of legal, regulatory, and professional affairs and its vice president of legal and general counsel. Avni, a senior studying sociology, and Emma, a junior studying biochemistry and molecular biology, share about their time in New York below.
Top left: Avni Ahuja takes in the sights of New York. Top right: Emma Tucker and Samia McEachin eat lunch together in Central Park. This photo: Avni and Emma join Susan Waltman for a performance at Carnegie Hall. Facing page: Samia McEachin, right, turned an internship with Susan Waltman into a job after graduation.
20
UGA HONORS PROGRAM MAGAZINE FALL 2019
Describe Susan’s impact on your experience. Emma: “Susan had the dual goal of allowing us to work on projects related to our interests and to push us to explore outside of our comfort zones. The team put us to work on pretty substantial projects, legal issues especially. I ended up discovering an unexpected interest in emergency preparedness.” Avni: “Sometimes Susan would pop by our desks in the middle of the day. It was really special that even though she is an executive vice president, she prioritized us. You don’t always have a mentor like that.” How did the program help shape your future goals? Avni: “I have been trying to balance my interest in public health and advocacy and social justice
