Hanako Salay is a sophomore majoring in Political Science who joined the ATLAS Internship Program to strengthen her professional and technical skills in a welcoming and supportive environment. She discovered the program through department emails and newsletters and is serving as a Program Planning & Curriculum Intern with McKeever Health and Clinical Services, LLC.
During her internship, Hanako has supported the finance and research team by assisting with medical billing and insurance-related calls, conducting grant research, and helping with outreach to local businesses and potential community partners. Through these experiences, she has also gained firsthand insight into how healthcare administration and nonprofit organizations operate. Along the way, she developed technical skills in managing qualitative data with Google Sheets and using office technology to scan and digitize documents.
One of the most valuable aspects of Hanako's internship has been developing strong professional communication skills with supervisors and clients while becoming more confident in taking initiative. Looking ahead, she plans to earn a law degree and pursue a career that combines her passion for law with her interest in healthcare. Outside of her professional goals, Hanako's favorite television show is Gilmore Girls.