Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing a series of reflections from students who completed internships with Lori’s Hands during the winter session. Student interns visited several different clients on a weekly basis as part of their internship requirements. These essays will give you a window into students’ favorite moments, gained experience, and lessons learned.
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My name is Timothy Fenton and I am a sophomore at the University of Delaware. I’m majoring in Medical Diagnostics on a pre-Physician’s Assistant track and am also minoring in Forensic Science. Throughout the past winter-session, I was granted the privilege to be an intern with Lori’s Hands.
My whole life has been spent living in the small state of Delaware. I was born in Bear, but I’ve spent nearly all of my life in Middletown. When I joined Lori’s Hands as an intern, I knew I’d be helping people all throughout the Newark area. What I didn’t know is that several of these individuals would have friends or family members that I know personally. The saying that “you know someone that I know” is basically part of everyday life in a state like Delaware. Even though this funny coincidence has happened my whole life with countless other people, it doesn’t take away from the surprise you get when you find out, not to mention how it makes for an instantly great conversation.
Even though this internship was only several weeks long, I still managed to meet older adults with whom I already had an unknown bond. A lady whose good friend used to be my pastor. A couple whose grandkids I went to school with and worked part-time with over the summer. When these links between my clients and me popped up out of the blue, I felt an instant connection to people with whom I had only spent a couple hours.
One day I was helping bring a sewing table up from a client’s basement, and she asked me to look through it and see what was in it since it hadn’t been touched in a while. I opened it and inside were two blankets with pictures of her great-grandchildren printed on them. I instantly knew who the two girls were, being as they lived a few doors down from my house and have grown up playing with my siblings. These repeated occurrences helped me feel that I truly built real, solid relationships with my clients.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity Lori’s Hands has given me to not only make a difference in the lives of many very strong individuals, but also to learn up-close about what they have to go through on a daily basis living with a chronic illness. I am able to take this knowledge and apply it to my future career as a PA, and to my education as I work my way towards that goal. The bonds I have built with my clients through countless hours of conversation and laughter are here to stay, no matter what the future holds. I really look forward to seeing this amazing organization continue to grow and continue to touch the lives of both clients and volunteers alike.
Tim Fenton
University of Delaware, ‘22
Medical Diagnostics
