SPARK Stories
Nazareth invests up to $4,000 to make amazing experiences possible for you. Eligible students can use a $1,500 Nazareth SPARK Grant for:
- an international experience during the school year
- an otherwise-unpaid/underpaid summer internship or summer research experience — plus for-credit summer experiences can get tuition waived, an additional benefit worth more than $2,500 (for three credits).
A “singular sensation” for musical theatre student
“I could not have done this without the SPARK Grant,” says Isabel Simone ’26, who performed in “A Chorus Line” during a summer internship. Read Isabel's story »
(Photographer: Lou Schneider)
Marketing the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
"I am learning tons of management skills while also developing skills with SEO, working directly with the director of marketing, and contributing directly to improving the website and social media platforms." — Colin Rider '25
Summer research on tech and society
A SPARK Grant funded a summer research experience for Aziza Simpkins ’24 with Wendy Norris, assistant professor of social computing, that combined the study of technology, artificial intelligence, and society with sociology and social research.
Combining interests for a choreo internship
A Naz SPARK grant enabled Sydney Campbell '26 to complete a great internship as an assistant choreographer, building on her two majors and her three minors — including dance studies.
SPARK Grant leads to library career insight
A Nazareth SPARK Grant and 3-credit Naz course online supported English major Katie Oechsle '26 in gaining insight on library careers.
Virtually international
Abby Patterman praises her "exceptional opportunity" to learn more about human resources careers and artificial intelligence. Read her blog post.
Seeking to make a difference in court
Tavione Griffin '24 said a SPARK Grant made her legal internship possible, and the experience advanced her career goal.
Summer oncology research at Duke U.
A SPARK Grant made it affordable for biochemistry major Joey Nettles '26 to research the BPA plastic additive in a medical oncology internship at Duke University.
Hands-on lab services at a hospital
Layla Boyer '26 discovered, "I can be an invaluable asset" as a medical technologist. Read her blog post.
Advancing Nazareth's Alternative Break program
A SPARK Grant paid for Karlee Robb '24 to attend an Alternative Break conference in Atlanta as part of a summer internship focused on enhancing alternative break student experiences for Naz students. "Honestly, without the SPARK Grant, I would not have been able to have this experience.... I was really grateful to have the opportunity, and I am very excited that I was able to update our curriculum so that the (Alternative Break) program can thrive," said Karlee (center).
Summer of Sound Recording
Nathan DeJoy '26 (music business major) jumped into a sound recording internship the summer after his first year at Naz.
Learning to run a vet business
Nearly 1,400
SPARK grants provided, spring 2018 - fall 2024
Advancing skills while assisting refugees
Social work major Ayat Al Sallami '24 used her SPARK grant in the summer to intern as a case manager at Mary's Place, a non-profit refugee outreach center in Rochester. "It definitely helped me know myself better and where I want to work and with whom," she writes in a blog post. "I have learned that I am capable of working with people who speak different languages. I have to build good communication skills with all different kinds of people."
Building empathy while working with refugees
Interning with a refugee service agency was life-changing for Matthew Reimann '24, a political science major in Nazareth's 3+3 program with Syracuse Law. In a blog post, he shares what shocked him and how he built empathy during his experience, supported by a Nazareth SPARK Grant and summer housing on campus.
Immersed in screen music
After composing music for student filmmakers, junior Kevin Leysath II used a Nazareth SPARK grant during the summer for a screen music program taught by visiting artists and special guests from around the world — toward his goal of a film scoring career. Along with lessons on mixing and mastering, he said he gained useful insights — such as how to approach gigs and collaboration and how to make a live recording more successful. "This experience has given me great things to enhance my craft in film and video game scoring in all aspects," he wrote in a guest student blog post.
Pre-med experiences in Chile advance student's goals
A Nazareth SPARK Grant made it possible for Meredith Rasey '21 to pursue a 6-week pre-med summer program in Chile — where she realized she wants to specialize in obstetrics. Read Meredith's story.
Tackling a literature research project
Double major: education and English
Project: Yaliza Frank researched prison-related books for children and young adults. She cataloged each book's theme, topic, and information provided and created a chart that can guide teachers and librarians to put the right books into the hands of the kids who need them.
Having an incarcerated family member "can be a rollercoaster of emotions," she says. "Some of these books do a good job telling kids how to address their feelings." Other books give really specific and practical details, such as for a prison visit: "One of my favorites explained how to be checked in and what to wear."
Her research mentor, Professor Ed Wiltse (pictured), says: The books “help kids deal with the trauma that is the experience of incarceration.”
SPARK Grant linked to college success
SPARK participants:
- do more high-impact experiences (global learning, community engagement, student leadership, professional experience, conferences, research)
- have higher grade point averages
- are more likely to graduate in four years
Underrepresented minority students participate in SPARK at the same rate as majority student populations.
Cuban history, culture, & connections
Griffin Bond combined his love of history with his SPARK Grant for a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to study abroad in Cuba, one of a dozen students and two professionals from Nazareth University who traveled together. Read his blog post.
First-summer internship boosts student
After just one year of college, nursing major Katie Eipert '21 gained knowledge, confidence, and more from an internship in geriatrics at Highland Hospital. The SPARK Grant provided funding and a no-cost internship credit. Read about her experience.
Communication and Media
Educating with an owl and vulture
Caring for animals such as Sophie the owl (pictured) and Wilbur the black vulture and educating people about them at Tanglewood Nature Center has confirmed plans by Stefanie Bunnell '20 to become a teacher. "I never thought I would find a career path that makes me excited to wake up on a Monday morning to go to work, but I did! I also know now that it is possible to merge education with environmental conservation in a career, which is great because I am an education and biology major!" She'd like to become an elementary teacher and continue with conservation work, research, and working with animals. "I have always had a passion for the environment and a deep interest in all the animals in it..... Showing people the importance that particular species hold in the ecosystem hopefully makes them aware of the value in preserving those species and the planet they live on." She said her SPARK Grant allowed her to focus on this internship all summer, without struggling to also fit in a part-time job.
Other Summer Experiences
Examples of SPARK Grant-supported summer student experiences:
RESEARCH mentored by faculty
- An English and education major studying incarceration narratives in children's literature to identify books that help children understand/cope with a parent's incarceration
- A social work major doing a qualitative project on postpartum depression
- A biology major studying the effect of growing medium on the health of plant seedlings
INTERNSHIPS
- A music/business major at Carl Fischer Music sheet music publishing company in New York City
- A music education major teaching music in Spain
- A finance major at Northwestern Mutual in Syracuse, NY
- An occupational therapy major at Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) Camp in Oregon.
- A dance and social work double major at Dancenter dance school in Utica, NY
- A communication and media student with a minor in music performance providing social media and photo/video work at concerts at Symphoria Orchestra in Syracuse, NY
- A legal studies major at the Indiana County District Attorney's office in Indiana, PA
- A public health major at Madison County Department of Health, NY
- An English major at 585 Publishing in Rochester, NY
- A music/business major at Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in Boston
- A psychology major at Compeer in Rochester, NY
- A musical theatre major at Fingerlakes Musical Theatre Festival
- A business management major with an art minor at Rev Marketing in Victor, NY
Student deadline: You must apply before the experience starts, but after you've lined it up. See SPARK Grant eligibility and details »
Joy surrounded by Renaissance art
Major: visual communication design
Minor: dance
SPARK experience: studied at the Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence.
"Getting to study art in a city full of work by Renaissance masters is so incredible," said Megan Ruffalo '22 — calling it unbelievable to see in person, up close, the artworks she has read and learned about. Among her favorite experiences: seeing Michelangelo's sculpture David, climbing all 463 steps to the top of Florence's Duomo, and taking day trips to explore other beautiful Tuscan cities like Siena, San Gimignano, and Viareggio. Her spring 2020 stay was cut short due to COVID-19, but she's so glad she went. Months later, Megan said: "I think back to my time in Italy often, and when I do, I feel nothing but joy and gratitude to have gotten the opportunity to learn and grow there. I treasure the two months I had there — it was genuinely the best experience of my life. The places I explored, the sites I saw, the people I met — I wouldn't trade that for anything."
99%
For students who used SPARK their first year, 99% successfully moved on to their second year at Nazareth.
Combining accounting, analytics, and psychology
A Naz SPARK Grant made it possible for Leanna Restani '22 to pursue a for-credit accounting internship with Deloitte that also tied into her minors in analytics and psychology.
Inside radio as a summer intern
Nick Lenhard '22, a music/business major and jazz lover, pursued an unpaid summer internship at WGMC Jazz 90.1 with financial support from a Nazareth SPARK Grant. "I really like working at a radio station because I get to share the music that I'm passionate about to a larger audience," said Nick, who's interested in radio DJ and station management work and appreciated the insider views of how a radio station functions. "One of the most interesting parts of my internship was getting to go along on a sales call with my supervisor at a local jazz venue, discussing the venue becoming an underwriter ... forming a symbiotic relationship between the business and the station that benefits both parties."
Researching postpartum depression with professor
Major: social work
Project: Izabella "Izzy" Kimber '21 researched how to best identify, screen for, understand, and treat postpartum depression, a collaboration with Prof. Rebecca Rouland, Ph.D. (social work), pictured (at left) with Izzy.
Goal: Use the findings to promote evidence-based practices among all types of health care providers who work with parents experiencing postpartum depression.
Izzy says that the experience was helpful as she prepares for graduate school. "Doing something that interests me and that I am passionate about is when I do my best work. Knowing that fuels me to follow what I love, even if it will take a long time to reach all of my goals," she says. She hopes to someday initiate her own research projects. Her future career goal: forensic interviewer
Honor: The work earned Izzy the 2019 New York State Social Work Student of the Year Award
Interning in music publishing (NYC)