I Know What You Did Last Summer

Lezny and her dental internship with her coworkers. Photo by Charlotte Lezny '27.

Summer break is a time for Marist students to travel, work and spend time with their friends and family. For some, they take these months to focus almost entirely on their future careers, something that is incredibly ambitious and disciplined. The absence of academics presented opportunities to work in the professional field, which many of our peers took full advantage of. Amid their rigid schedules and responsibilities, these students still managed to enjoy their summertime in the workplace.  

Biomedical sciences major Charlotte Lezny ‘27 was one of these students who committed to kickstarting their careers. Lezny moved to the rural town of Endicott, New York, for the summer to solidify her passion for dentistry. Her internship was time-consuming but worthwhile, as she dedicated over 550 hours of work in a pediatric dental office.  

“I was a hygiene and dental assistant there,” Lenzy said. “My main role was to take X-rays and to bring patients back to get their medical history and basic information.”

Lezny was pleasantly surprised by how passionate she was for her future career. 

“I would characterize this as both an educational and motivational experience because it really helped me solidify that this is my passion and I do want to do this for the rest of my life. I get a lot of fulfillment from it,” said Lenzy.

Similarly, fashion merchandising major Claire Montague ‘27 echoed this sentiment. Montague’s job interests don’t stop in the fashion industry. She also has a love and draw towards cinema as a digital video production minor. This summer, she found a way to intern and work in both the fashion and film worlds. 

Heels at Montague's fashion internship and theater job. Photo by Claire Montague '27.

“Every Wednesday through Friday, I would work in New York City at my internship for a celebrity stylist. This internship was unpaid, so I would then take a train back to my hometown on Friday nights and work at my local movie theater Saturday through Tuesday,” said Montague.

Her schedule was demanding, but Montague impressed herself with her own hard work and dedication. Many days, she was tired and mentally drained from running around NYC, but she found comfort in her own abilities and the knowledge she acquired.  

“I was tired a lot, but it was such a rewarding experience. My internship taught me so much about the fashion industry and showed me how hardworking I truly am. I went from job to job this summer, one being unpaid, and it was eye-opening to my perseverance,” said Montague.

Both Lezny and Montague were fully booked this summer, yet they found fun in the workplace. It's all about balance, and in their cases, the social aspect of their jobs was just that.  

For Lezny, the highlight was making friends in a new town.

“I had to learn the town and all of my coworkers. I went line dancing most Wednesdays with them after work,” she said. 

It’s great to have a change of scenery and make new connections, yet it is just as enjoyable to form friendships close to home. Montague described the latter as she worked at her local movie theater alongside her friends.  

“Another highlight was my movie theater job. My coworkers are so fun, and I get to watch free movies and get free popcorn. I love movies, so every time I’m there, it’s heaven for me,” Montague said. 

Summer was a time of success for these students who spent countless hours at internships and jobs. It was also a time of self-discovery and the learning of new skills and passions.