Serving with Care

Driven to give back from a young age, native Delawareans and UD students Grace DiGiacomo and Lauria Tana-Dawson knew they wanted careers that made a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Through the University of Delaware, they found their path in the people-centered, mission-focused human services major.

As part of the major, DiGiacomo and Tana-Dawson engaged in 400 hours of internship experience, gaining real-world experience and opportunities for personal growth. Grounded in meaningful interactions with retirement community members, their internships helped them provide compassionate and dignified care for Delaware's eldest residents.

"The residents at my internship have taught me just as much as I've learned in the classroom," said Tana-Dawson, now a junior in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) who interned at The Moorings, a retirement community in her hometown of Lewes, Delaware. "They've shared their stories, life experiences and advice with me, and those are things I'll carry with me [for a long time]."

Supporting Fellow Delawareans

As a high schooler at St. Mark's High School in Wilmington, Delaware, DiGiacomo often volunteered with older adult populations. "The older adult population is quickly growing, yet they remain extremely underserved. I wanted to make helping [them] my career," she said.

That's why the Newark Senior Center's Meeting of the Minds program immediately piqued her interest. As an intern, DiGiacomo encouraged critical thinking, creativity and positive aging for individuals with dementia, memory loss and cognitive impairments. She led art projects, trivia games and exercise, all while supporting the participants' autonomy.

"It is the most incredible experience watching people's eyes light up when we play 'Music Bingo' and they recognize an old favorite song, or we play 'Never Have I Ever' and they jump at the opportunity to share a story from their past," DiGiacomo said.