{"id":78231,"date":"2026-06-23T15:59:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T22:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=78231"},"modified":"2026-06-23T15:59:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T22:59:17","slug":"barrow-internships-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/barrow-internships-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Four NAU students selected for competitive summer BNI internships\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s\u00a0nothing better than learning how to make a difference while on the job. This summer, four NAU students will be doing exactly that.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The undergraduate scholars were selected for 10-week internships at the Barrow Neurological Institute, where they will work alongside neurological disorder, speech\u00a0pathology\u00a0and occupational therapy professionals in real-world medical environments. The Phoenix-based institution\u2019s programs are open to undergraduate students from all colleges and universities\u00a0throughout the world, which makes acceptance an exceptional achievement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To get there, these Lumberjacks\u00a0submitted\u00a0letters of intent\u2014penning three or more drafts to get them\u00a0just right\u2014collected letters of recommendation and made it through an intense interview process.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Proving they were internship material was only the beginning. Now, the students are preparing for a summer filled with rewarding, hands-on training\u00a0opportunities\u00a0and a glimpse of what their futures may hold.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The data in the diagnosis<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
\"Mandi<\/a>
Mandi Bluth<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a data science major,\u00a0<\/span>Mandi Bluth<\/span><\/b>\u00a0has dabbled in all forms of statistical analysis. Routine coursework and participation in the American Statistical Association\u2019s\u00a0DataFest\u00a0helped her refine her knowledge of statistical modeling, database system management, time series analysis and even machine learning.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now,\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0looking to take her studies to the next level by applying data science to practical scenarios, preferably through methods that spark positive change. She found the perfect opportunity in an internship with Barrow,\u00a0to which\u00a0she already had a personal connection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBarrow is a place that means a lot to my family since my sister was treated there,\u201d Bluth said. \u201cBeing selected to contribute to their work felt personal. I hope to gain real-world exposure to data analytics in a setting where the work truly makes a difference, grow as a data scientist and walk away knowing I contributed to a facility that means so much to my family.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Noah Verdugo<\/span><\/b>, also an\u00a0undergrad\u00a0studying data science, fosters his love of programming at NAU\u2019s RESHAPE Lab, where he works studying\u00a0large language model\u00a0(LLM)\u00a0chatbot use in introductory computer science education.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Verdugo uses statistics to sort the program\u2019s data and make it useful for drawing conclusions. This experience, alongside coursework exploring series analysis, deep learning and data structures, has prepared him for a greater challenge\u2014the opportunity he \u201calways dreamed of.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Noah<\/a>
Noah Verdugo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cInterning here has been such an amazing learning experience, and it’s allowed me to practice the skills I’ve learned from my classes,\u201d Verdugo said. \u201cNow, I hope to help better understand how data science and mathematics can be applied to the world of healthcare, especially neuroscience, and I am excited to learn from these doctors and their incredible research.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bluth and Verdugo were selected for an internship at the Barrow Neurological Analytics Center. Working in the Racette Lab, which specializes in studies that illuminate risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases, they will\u00a0be responsible for\u00a0building predictive models using clinical datasets.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The patterns they will unveil in the process will\u00a0ultimately help\u00a0medical professionals further understand and predict cases of neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. These discoveries could, in turn, lead to quality-of-life improvements for\u00a0individuals\u00a0diagnosed with these illnesses.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The project will culminate in a research presentation at Barrow\u2019s end-of-the-summer symposium.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNeurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people and their families, and there is so much we still don\u2019t understand about them,\u201d Bluth said. \u201cBarrow uses data to find answers, including searching for an earlier diagnosis and underlying causes. This work has the potential to improve how patients are diagnosed and the quality of treatment.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bluth plans to follow the internship and her undergraduate studies with a graduate degree in statistics. From there, she wants to build a career around applying data science to fields she believes can make tangible impacts, whether\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0in healthcare, like this internship will help her explore, or something she\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0discovered yet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Verdugo, conversely, is\u00a0sold on pursuing healthcare, describing working to improve the medical field as something he has always wanted to do.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of benefits in applying data science to healthcare, and it really can allow for more effective decisions in this field,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Restoring patient independence<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Stefan Mu\u00f1oz\u00a0<\/span><\/b>spent weeks watching videos on how to nail an internship interview before he stepped into the one he feared\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0fumble. When notice of his acceptance into a Barrow program finally came, he was filled with relief.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Stefan<\/a>
Stefan Mu\u00f1oz<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The exercise physiology major will step into his inpatient occupational therapy internship in early June. His role will center on supporting therapists working with hospitalized patients by cleaning equipment, fetching\u00a0supplies\u00a0and otherwise\u00a0assisting\u00a0wherever needed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat day was the proudest I’ve ever felt of myself to date,\u201d Mu\u00f1oz<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>said. \u201cI hope that, with this internship, I really get to see the inner workings of what it means to be an occupational therapist and walk out with knowledge I can later apply to my schooling.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While he\u00a0remains\u00a0committed to his long\u2011term goal of becoming a physical therapist, he said he views the internship as a chance to explore a parallel career path while gathering practical, patient-centric experiences he can carry into graduate school and beyond.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany people take for granted what it means to be able to do things for yourself,\u201d Mu\u00f1oz said. \u201cSimple tasks are\u00a0just that:\u00a0simple. However, there are people who have difficulty with some movements or certain tasks, and\u00a0that’s\u00a0what an occupational therapist is there to help with.\u00a0It’s\u00a0allowing a person to have a greater hold on their independence.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Mu\u00f1oz plans to specialize in pediatric physical therapy or use his studies to\u00a0assist\u00a0patients with acute disabilities.\u00a0In five years, he hopes to be working as a physical therapist in a hospital or children\u2019s clinic.\u00a0In\u00a010, he dreams of opening a community\u2011focused clinic with flexible hours designed\u00a0for\u00a0families with rigid, busy schedules.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No matter the avenue, he sees himself as someone working with patients one-on-one to change their lives for the better.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cMaybe I\u2019m too much of a dreamer,\u201d he said, \u201cbut even the workers deserve to have their schedules worked with.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Treating with care<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s\u00a0a lot to celebrate when\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0a college student on spring break, but for\u00a0<\/span>Wyatt Peterson<\/span><\/b>, the high point of the week came when she opened the acceptance message in her inbox.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Wyatt<\/a>
Wyatt Peterson<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The communication sciences and disorders major was chosen for the Barrow Neurological Institute\u2019s speech\u2011language pathology internship at St. Joseph\u2019s Hospital, an opportunity\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0been quietly hoping for since first hearing about it a year earlier.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This summer, Peterson will spend two and a half months\u00a0observing\u00a0speech\u2011language pathologists as they treat patients in acute care,\u00a0providing assistance\u00a0whenever possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t been able to observe much of the medical side of speech pathology, so I am very excited to see and learn from it,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cI will be learning from\u00a0experienced speech-language pathologists and\u00a0observing\u00a0and aiding patients from all\u00a0walks of life\u00a0with a variety of conditions. It will also give me experience that I may not have received until a few more years into my education.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of the speech pathology work at St. Joseph\u2019s Hospital centers on swallowing disorders, which can affect older adults and patients recovering from strokes. Peterson will\u00a0assist\u00a0with feedings,\u00a0observe\u00a0cognitive\u00a0evaluations\u00a0and watch procedures like modified barium swallow studies and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) exams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a modified barium swallow study, Peterson explained, patients swallow food or liquid mixed with\u00a0barium\u00a0so clinicians can see the movement on an X\u2011ray. This helps them notice when food or liquid goes into a patient\u2019s airway and\u00a0determine\u00a0which foods and eating positions are safest.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, FEES tests include running a thin, flexible instrument through a patient\u2019s nose to assess how well they swallow.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany of us may have these conditions as we get older,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cIt is important that assessments and treatments for age-related conditions are done with thought and care and that new research is being conducted to improve upon treatments.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Peterson begins NAU\u2019s accelerated clinical speech-language pathology program this fall, taking graduate\u2011level classes as an undergraduate before transitioning fully into the\u00a0master\u2019s\u00a0program. She said she is open to multiple career paths, but she feels drawn to medical speech\u2011language pathology and bilingual language development.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Northern<\/a>Ava Hiniker | NAU Communications<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s\u00a0nothing better than learning how to make a difference while on the job. This summer, four NAU students will be doing exactly that.\u00a0 The undergraduate scholars were selected for 10-week internships at the Barrow Neurological Institute, where they will work alongside neurological disorder, speech\u00a0pathology\u00a0and occupational therapy professionals in real-world medical environments. The Phoenix-based institution\u2019s programs…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2797,"featured_media":78242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research-academics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2797"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78231"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78248,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78231\/revisions\/78248"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}