Wooster student gains hands-on medical experience during micro-fellowship

Delani Patterson ’25, a student-designed public health major and Africana studies minor at The College of Wooster, served as a health assistant at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, a Michigan-based summer camp, this past summer. The position allowed Patterson to combine her passion for healthcare while supporting others in a creative, community-centered environment. Throughout the Micro Fellowship, Patterson provided hands-on care and performed medical assessments for the campers and staff at Blue Lake, getting closer to working in the medical field. 

“This experience helped me realize that I am tougher than I previously thought.” 

— Delani Patterson ’25 

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES 

I’m also a part of the public health pathway program at Wooster, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp was one of the possible experiential learning opportunities recommended to me by the program. I told one of my professors about the job opportunity, and she recommended that I apply for the Micro Fellowship. While the experience was tough, both mentally and physically, it taught me a lot about myself and allowed me to grow in multiple ways. The exercises that the Micro Fellowship had me complete before and during the opportunity helped me recognize which skills I developed and expanded during the experience. 

LESSONS LEARNED 

I learned about the importance of transferring knowledge. While I did go through training, this year at camp was unique due to some of the illnesses that were being seen. My supervisors, Karin and Chiamaka, co-directors at the lodge, guided me, and the other health assistants, with their previous experience as health assistants for different treatments and situations. However, because of the unique health circumstances the camp experienced this summer, we all had to use our previous personal experiences to help us through tough situations. 

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE 

I loved being able to bounce between different roles within the lodge and work with my coworkers to create unique care plans for patients. Each day, I alternated taking treatments for campers and staff, working at the front desk to check patients in, checking and distributing medications that were brought by campers, and monitoring the admitted patients in the lodge.  

WHAT’S NEXT 

This experience helped me realize that I am tougher than I previously thought. Due to the mental and physical toughness of the environment, the team found the experience to be one we all struggled to finish. However, we all worked together to motivate each other and create plans for unexpected situations. This job helped me realize that I enjoy and want to continue to work in a team environment where we work together to serve and advocate for members in the community. 

Featured image: Delani Patterson ’25 completed an APEX Micro Fellowship at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp over the summer. Photo provided by subject.

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2025 on August 6, 2025.