Author: sHq_LoGiNz

After years of unexplained fainting spells, Sofia Jalenak found answers that would ultimately shape her future career.

Violet Oliver saw firsthand how cardiac technology could bring comfort and peace of mind to a family.

Melissa Hermosillo Nava discovered her calling through the impact medical technology had on her sister Kaylee’s life.

Their stories began in different places, but each eventually led them to the same destination: a Medtronic internship and a desire to help others.

Sofia Jalenak

Jalenak’s experience as a patient inspired her to pursue engineering.

When Jalenak was about 8, she started experiencing symptoms that were diagnosed as syncope, or fainting spells. At first, they happened infrequently, once every six months. She and her family were told she would likely grow out of it.

But as she got older, the episodes became monthly, then weekly, and eventually three or four times each day. Symptoms would often strike during the night and frequently result in fainting.

During overnight monitoring, doctors discovered that an AV node block was causing the episodes. The condition prevents electrical signals from properly traveling through the heart, disrupting its normal rhythm.

She began seeing a pediatric cardiologist, who eventually recommended a Medtronic pacemaker. She got it implanted when she was 15 years old.

Her experience as a patient showed her how medical technology can change lives. It also sparked her curiosity about the people who design those devices.

“When I got my pacemaker, I was thrown into a space that was biomedical engineering.”

Jalenak is fascinated by medicine and technology, and biomedical engineering allows her to combine her interests in both areas. Now, she studies biomedical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.

She applied for an internship at Medtronic because she was passionate about the company.

“I want to make an impact as Medtronic has made an impact on me,” she said. She joined the Cardiac Rhythm Management team, specifically within Defibrillation Solutions.

Her internship includes collecting data that could benefit algorithms used in devices like hers. She has been using AI extensively to narrow down the specific data segments she needs to study, making the analysis process much more manageable.

Jalenak thinks being a patient gives her a unique perspective. Having grown up attending cardiology appointments, Jalenak is familiar with many of the devices, apps, and software systems people talk about at Medtronic and in her coursework — giving her a unique perspective.

“I want to help others so that they can have beneficial treatment like I did,” she said. “And I think that my studies and the knowledge that I gained from my degrees will help me pursue that passion. I would be very proud of myself to be able to give back in a way that has given so much to me.”

Violet Oliver

For Oliver, engineering is personal.

She has a family history of cardiac issues on her mother’s side. Her grandmother experienced ventricular fibrillation, a serious heart rhythm disorder, and passed away after she was unable to receive treatment in time.

As a preventative measure, her mother has a Medtronic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), device that monitors heart rhythms and can help correct dangerous abnormalities.

Oliver said the devices give her family peace of mind because they can monitor their heart information in real time on their phones.

Now, Oliver is helping develop technologies for families like hers.

“I’ve always felt this need to really give back to those who have helped my family in such a profound way,” she said.

She became interested in biology and engineering when she was around 10. That fascination led her to become a mechanical engineering student at Georgia Tech and pursue an internship at Medtronic.

Now a two-time Medtronic intern, she most recently worked on an early-stage prototype for a technology that could support future surgeries within Cranial and Spinal Technologies. She is also developing AI tools that could support mechanical engineering work.

One of the biggest lessons she has learned is the patient-focused mindset. In contrast to studying engineering at the university where projects are opportunities to experiment, learn, and grow, at Medtronic everything is rooted in a real impact, she said.

“Whenever I’m designing something at Medtronic, I always envision who is this going to help? Could this help someone like my mother? Do I want mediocre technology for my mom, or do I want the very best? Of course I want the very best,” she said. “That shift has really helped me grow as an engineer. And it’s really made me more aware of just how important it is to keep patients at the center of everything that I touch.”

For Oliver, engineering is an opportunity to help create technologies that could support patients and families facing challenges similar to hers.

“It’s so cool to imagine the countless lives that I’m helping to improve through my internship,” she said. “It’s a very powerful feeling and it’s one that I’m very grateful to have the opportunity for.”

Melissa Hermosillo Nava

Hermosillo Nava carries her sister Kaylee’s legacy into every step of her engineering journey.

Kaylee lived with several complex medical conditions, including cerebral palsy, Dandy-Walker malformation, scoliosis, sleep apnea, muscle spasms, and chronic pain. She couldn’t eat independently, speak, move, or breathe easily without assistance.

Despite everything Kaylee endured, she found joy in her life.

“She was always a constant in my family’s life,” she said. “As someone who went through so much pain, she would always find a way to smile for simple things.”

A Medtronic intrathecal baclofen pump was implanted in her abdomen to deliver medication that helped manage her muscle spasms through a catheter.

Before the pump, her parents were responsible for administering medications and responding to medical issues at all hours. The pump gave Kaylee’s family more freedom than they had experienced before.

“We were able to take her on drives a lot more and just go out to the mountains and do all those things that we couldn’t do prior to having that device,” she said. “It really changed our lives for the time that she had it.”

Doctors originally predicted that Kaylee might live only a few months to a year because of the severity of her conditions. Instead, she lived to be 25 years old. Those additional years were a gift they never expected to have.

Toward the end of her life, she passed peacefully at home, surrounded by family.

“She taught us a lot of lessons in life, empathy, and how we can share that with others. How do we care for people like my Kaylee and what kind of technologies do we need to help someone like her as well?”

The impact medical technology had on her family shaped the kind of engineer she wanted to become.

She decided to develop technologies that could improve quality of life for patients and caregivers, just as those technologies helped her sister and her family. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Colorado Boulder studying mechanical engineering.

Hermosillo Nava joined the Surgical Operating Unit as an intern after a mentor from her high school robotics team encouraged her to apply for the WISE internship program.

This summer, she is working on technology that could improve the experience of surgeons and operating room staff. Hermosillo Nava has used AI to quickly learn new concepts, better understand which tests to perform, and identify where to focus her efforts.

Hermosillo Nava still carries her sister’s influence into her work today.

“I’m a lot more empathetic now and a lot more connected to the human side of the field,” she said. “I’m looking into how we can make this person live more comfortably or how we can help this person’s family spend more time with them. I feel like my sister is with me in some way while I’m working.”

Want to make an impact while helping engineer the extraordinary? Applications for the 2027 Summer Internship Program are open through October 15, 2026. Learn more and apply here.

A Cascale webinar recently explored the benefits of the Cascale Better Buying Snapshot Survey (formerly known as the BBPI).

Though the Snapshot opens to suppliers beginning October 1, interested buying companies must confirm their participation and provide supplier contacts by September 14.

Katie Hess, head of product at Better Buying, began by telling attendees the differences between Cascale Better Buying offerings and why Cascale Corporate members have an advantage this year.

Key Takeaways

• Buyer companies who are interested in being part of this year’s Cascale Better Buying Snapshot Survey must simply: Contact Katie Hess, receive the on-boarding packet, and provide supplier contacts by Sept. 14.
• Nominated Suppliers invited to participate receive access to the Snapshot Survey on Oct. 1 – and it’s all fully confidential.
• In late November, buying companies get custom reports highlighting strengths, potential areas of risk, and opportunities to improve purchasing practices and supplier relationships.
• For the first time, Cascale Corporate Membership now includes both Cascale Better Buying e-learning and the Snapshot Survey, plus an additional discount on the Cascale Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI).

Why Participate in Cascale Better Buying? 

Purchasing practices are deeply connected to decent work outcomes. “There are three main ways that companies can engage in Cascale Better Buying, and I like to think of them as different ways to support the work,” said Hess.

Cascale Better Buying’s e-learning program offers a common language around responsible purchasing. Meanwhile, the upcoming Snapshot Survey offers a quick, confidential pulse from suppliers to help companies understand the health of their purchasing relationships and identify priority areas for improvement. The more extensive Cascale Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) survey provides a deeper assessment of purchasing practices and will next run from April to May 2027.

And for the first time, Cascale Corporate Membership now includes both Cascale Better Buying e-learning and the Snapshot Survey. The Cascale Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index, on the other hand, is offered at a discount for Corporate members. Hess said the Snapshot is “designed to establish a baseline, check health, and identify priorities,” adding the two surveys are “complementary, not duplicative.”

Based on Cascale Better Buying’s “Five Principles of Responsible Purchasing” – which are detailed in the e-learning course – buying companies who participate every year see the greatest return on their investment (and impact).

How to Get Started Now

Leah Marsh, Cascale’s Better Buying research associate, reiterated the Snapshot is a “direct, confidential pulse from your suppliers on the health of your relationships.”

Buyers need to prepare their supplier lists now according to Marsh, who recommends they share a list of all current and active suppliers. At least five eligible supplier responses are required to generate results, so companies are encouraged to invite a broad group of suppliers to participate. She added that companies must take the first step now – so suppliers can be on-boarded and prepped accordingly for the October survey cycle.

Supplier feedback is confidential, helping protect the integrity of the survey and enabling suppliers to provide candid feedback. Companies should do their part and not ask whether or or how suppliers responded.

She encouraged teams to have the conversations now by looping in cross-functional teammates, informing suppliers, and scheduling time on the calendar for internal report review meetings. For suppliers they would like to be invited to participate, companies should include typical supplier information, including supplier company name, contact name, email address, and HQ country. There is no limit to supplier contacts for the Snapshot Survey.

What To Expect Later 

Cascale’s Better Buying team delivers trusted support, insights, and custom reporting into the health of the overall partnership. By the end of November, participating companies will receive their custom reports including their overall results, one pre-selected breakout dimension, and results for each eligible supplier group with at least five supplier responses. Types of breakout dimensions include supplier type, product category, region, and brand or channel.

At depth, Cascale’s team offers insights on benchmarking, priority areas, as well as company-specific guidance to help teams translate supplier feedback into action.

Of course, Cascale offers many opportunities for deeper engagement on decent work. The Responsible Purchasing Practices Learning Series will run on Oct. 21, Oct. 28, and Nov. 3. It unpacks how commercial decisions may either enable or undermine better purchasing practices and decent work outcomes. As well, Cascale also offers a Decent Work Community of Practice – led by Member Activation – for deeper engagement. The next session takes place on Nov. 3, with more information offered on Cascale Connect, a members-only platform.

For questions on getting started and additional resources, contact Katie Hess.

For questions about Cascale Corporate membership and its benefits, contact the Membership Team.

Elanco’s robust innovation pipeline is powered by people. Behind every research initiative, product launch, communication effort and industry milestone stands a team of dedicated professionals, including Elanco’s own interns, working to shape the future of animal health. The Elanco internship program is more than just a summer learning opportunity, it provides college students with the opportunity to contribute first-hand to business advancements, build lasting connections and develop the technical and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in their future careers. With meaningful work, dedicated mentorship and opportunities to grow both professionally and personally, Elanco empowers interns to go beyond — making an impact today while preparing to become the next generation of leaders in animal health.

For at least a decade, Elanco has selected college students with high character and strong skillsets to dedicate 12 weeks of their summer to immersing themselves in animal health, expanding their skills to prepare them for the workforce and contribute to advancing the industry. Elanco offers several intern positions throughout the organization, which include:

• Manufacturing & Quality
• Research & Development
• Pet Health
• Farm Animal
• IT
• Finance

For the Summer of 2026, 74 interns were selected from a pool of 4,100 applicants and supported by 37 intern coordinators — full-time Elanco employees who dedicate part of their role to helping manage interns across different departments. Interns spend their summer fully immersed in their team and department, learning from leading professionals in animal health. Additionally, they own their own personal project throughout the 12-week program. Through this aspect of the internship program, each intern takes initiative by solving an Elanco system, creating something new or advancing the technologies and resources used in the different departments. This unique opportunity allows them to take charge of the development and execution of their projects and highlight their ability to deliver outcomes.

While no two internships look the same, each one represents a different piece of the same mission. One intern may spend the summer visiting veterinary clinics and producer operations across the country, helping customers understand how Elanco’s products fit into their everyday work. Another may be in an Indiana manufacturing facility, ensuring that those same products are produced safely, consistently and to the highest quality standards. Others may be developing new innovations in the lab or supporting the teams that keep the business moving behind the scenes. Together, these experiences give interns a firsthand look at how every function within Elanco is connected — and how collaboration across teams ultimately helps improve the health of animals around the world.

The extensive industry exposure they receive also helps Elanco interns get one step closer to their own unique goals. Hear from some of the 2026 cohort on how this program has helped them prepare for their future and taught them valuable lessons:

• “As I am preparing for a graduate degree, this internship has been a vital opportunity to learn skills that will help me be a great scientist. From being able to explain key concepts, present my data to those unfamiliar with the topic and conduct on-the-spot analysis of my outcomes, this internship has helped me work on all of that.” – Lana Malek, R&D SynTD intern, Purdue University
• “This internship has given me valuable hands-on experience working in a collaborative R&D environment. It has helped me better understand the development pipeline, how the R&D team operates and how cross-functional teams work together to achieve project goals.” – Di Cao, Indiana University, R&D CLD group intern
• “It has been instrumental in identifying my areas of weakness, both in terms of analysis and laboratory techniques, and with interpersonal work relationships. I’ve been able to fill in a lot of gaps that were missing from my training prior to starting at Elanco, and I’ve been able to build skills in diverse areas through thoughtful and supportive guidance.” – Sydney Womack, R&D intern, Cornell University
• “I plan to attend vet school, so this internship has given me a ton of animal handling experience, veterinary research experience and has really showed me that I would love to do a job like this in the future.” – Casey Gannon, Manufacturing/Quality Control intern, Iowa State University
• “Elanco has prepared me with the skills to be able to carry professional conversations with producers, consumers and fellow companies around problems and solutions in today’s industry. I feel prepared and excited to step into the workforce thanks to Elanco’s guidance!” – Lauren Beyer, Swine Sales intern, Iowa State University 

Elanco teaches students how to go beyond in the workforce and their own lives. During their 12 weeks at the company, interns develop years’ worth of valuable experiences, connections and skills that will directly contribute to their personal goals and the industries they join after graduation.

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

WOONSOCKET, R.I., August 24, 2026 /3BL/ – CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) announced it has redeveloped a mini soccer pitch in collaboration with National Women’s Soccer League icon Alex Morgan and the Alex Morgan Foundation, as well as Musco Lighting and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. The mini-pitch, which is located at Pantera Park in Alex’s hometown of Diamond Bar, CA, is now open and is the third location for Alex and her Pitch Forward initiative, which creates new outdoor spaces for sports where youth can feel supported, empowered, and inspired to reach their full potential.

The Pantera Park location also marks the next chapter of CVS Health’s multi-year field revitalization commitment, which aims to develop welcoming, accessible spaces where families, kids and neighbors can gather, play and connect. It follows a previously announced multi-use field redevelopment project at Garfield Park Bridge Spot in Washington, D.C, which will open this fall.

“Health is shaped by more than the care we receive – it’s also shaped by the communities where we live, play and connect. This new mini-pitch creates opportunities for young people and families to be active, build relationships and strengthen their overall well-being,” said Joanne Armstrong, M.D., MPH, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Women’s Health, CVS Health. “We’re proud to work alongside Alex Morgan and the Alex Morgan Foundation to help make those opportunities more accessible in Diamond Bar.”

“The city of Diamond Bar has helped shape who I am today, which is why I’m so thrilled to give back to the community and support its next generation of athletes,” said Alex Morgan. “Access to welcoming, safe spaces like this new mini-pitch plays a huge role in helping kids get active, build confidence and develop life skills. I can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have.”

The new Mini-Pitch System repurposes one of Pantera Park’s three basketball courts, creating a multi-sport space for soccer and pickleball, in addition to basketball. The space is uniquely positioned for drop-in play – without needing to be part of a league or to reserve the space in advance – which further increases opportunity for movement and connection in the Diamond Bar community.

“This new mini-pitch is especially meaningful given it’s in Diamond Bar, CA, a community that has remained close to Alex ever since she was given the keys to the city after winning the 2015 World Cup,” said Laura Wolf Stein, Executive Director, Alex Morgan Foundation. “We’re proud to expand access to sports at a park that Diamond Bar residents already know and love. Thank you to CVS Health for supporting this work and ensuring more kids will have access to play.”

“Pantera Park has always been a popular recreational amenity for our community, and it’s now even better. This mini-pitch gives residents a new way to stay active, try a new sport, or spend time outdoors with family and friends. Thank you to CVS Health, the Alex Morgan Foundation and Musco Sports Lighting for making this possible,” said Diamond Bar Mayor Steve Tye. “In January 2016, the City Council honored Alex Morgan for her accomplishments as a world champion and for the inspiration she has been to so many young people, especially girls, here in her hometown. Ten years later, her foundation is helping turn that inspiration into something real – a place where that next generation can play, have fun, and possibly find a sport that becomes a lifelong passion.”

The mini-pitch’s opening was officially commemorated on Tuesday, August 4th, through a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Alex Morgan, local Diamond Bar officials, and leadership from CVS Health, Musco Lighting, Alex Morgan Foundation and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, followed by a kick-around with Alex and local AYSO girl soccer players.

CVS Health is dedicated to supporting California markets on and off the pitch. In 2024, the company helped generate $98.2B in annual economic impact across the state, provided over $8M in community support and supported and sustained over 212,000 jobs.

To learn more about CVS Health’s ongoing commitment to strengthen its communities through soccer, visit https://www.cvs.com/content/soccer.

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About CVS Health

CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.

About Alex Morgan Foundation

Alex Morgan Foundation was founded in 2023 to support girls and women as they build their own confident path forward in sports and in life. Dedicated to a more equitable and empowered future, the foundation invests in programs that target its core areas of impact: sports equity, opportunities for girls, and support for moms. Alex Morgan Foundation is a fiscally sponsored initiative under the umbrella of the Edward Charles Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, and raises funds through Alex’s community of partners, supporters, and grant funders.

Media Contact

Kara Page
Kara.Page@CVSHealth.com