Internship Program Description

In 1994 SMUHSD Teacher Ellyn Daugherty designed and implemented the Biotechnology Career Pathway program (BCP), working closely with its Biotech Industry-Education Advisory Committee.  SMHS teacher Jimmy Ikeda became the lead teacher of the program in 2003 and took over the internship program in 2008.

Each year the internship program prepares students for research and manufacturing positions in academic and industrial biotechnology laboratories.  The concepts and skills developed in the internship program prepare students for post-secondary STEM courses and placement in entry-level positions at local biotechnology companies.  Beyond laboratory expertise, students gain valuable insight and familiarity with the world of work that facilitates college, career, and life decisions. 

The internship program is open to any BCP student who has successfully completed at least one year of biotechnology at any of  the three campuses.  

In the Summer of 2022, the following organizations offered internships to 18 BCP students:

• Vitalant Research Institute

• Bay Area Bioscience Educational Community (BABEC)

• Segan Industries

• Kezar Life Sciences

• Target Discovery Inc. 

• Day One Pharmaceuticals

• Labcorp Inc.

In addition to the above companies and organizations, the following institutions a long history of support of the BCP program:

• Stanford University

• Santa Clara University

• San Francisco State university

• University of California at San Francisco

• International Immunodiagnostics

• Harpoon Therapeutics

• Bio-Link Depot

Contact

Interested in learning more or partnering with SMHS to offer an internship? Contact 

Katie Ward (Aragon) kward@smuhsd.org 

Leigh-Anne Ecklund (Aragon) lecklund@smuhsd.org