UAMS Celebrates Project SEARCH 2025 Interns in Graduation Ceremony
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) celebrated eight students in a May 15 graduation ceremony that marked their completion of the nine-month Project SEARCH internship program.
Project SEARCH Arkansas ACCESS Initiative, in partnership with Arkansas Rehabilitative Services (ARS), is for young adults with developmental disabilities. Interns in the program work in various UAMS departments with the goal of gaining necessary skills to allow them to obtain competitive employment.
Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, applauded the interns for their hard work and dedication. He then shared a quote from one of the employees who worked with this year’s interns: “We have truly enjoyed all of our interns this year. They have been so wonderful to work with. They are all so bright and talented, and they have brought so much joy to us. I look forward to hearing about their future endeavors. They have definitely made an impact on my heart. And I’m sure my emotions will take over when they graduate. I am so grateful we got to be a part of this program.”
Patterson said he was confident in saying that sentiment is shared by everyone who has been a part of Project SEARCH, reaching all the way to 2013, the first year of the program at UAMS. Among that inaugural class in 2013, two are still working at UAMS.
Tyheim Bones, right, speaks briefly about his Project Search experience after receiving his certificate and as, left to right, Rebekah Seljan, left, Joseph Baxter, and Stephen Fussell listen. Seljan is ACCESS Initiative director, Baxter is the commissioner of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services and Fussell was the graduation’s keynote speaker. Image by Evan Lewis
Keynote speaker Stephen Fussell is the parent of Kate Fussell, a UAMS employee and Project SEARCH graduate.
He briefly chronicled his daughter’s educational journey and his experience as her father.
“From high school, and all along the way, as soon as we would get settled and think ‘Okay, we’re ready to move forward,’ we would then have that million-dollar question that was always in the back of our minds: What happens after graduation? What happens when school is over?” Fussell said.
His voice faltered as he became emotional, for which he apologized and said he “was a tough guy” until he had daughters.”
“It was the great unknown after that, life after graduation. We wanted for our daughter what I think any parent would want for any of their children,” Fussell said. “We wanted her to have a happy, meaningful, fulfilling life, whatever that looks like. And we didn’t know exactly what that looked like. We had an idea that it meant work. It meant a job of some sort.”
He said that was where Project SEARCH came in, teaching her the skills she needed and giving her the confidence to find and hold a job.
She has been working full-time in UAMS Patient Transport since June 2022.
“We can see the pride and the independence that comes with putting in a meaningful and fulfilling day of work,” he said. “And of course, there’s the paycheck every two weeks, too.”
As part of their weekly routine, Fussell said he and his daughter go to Dairy Queen every Friday, and she buys him a DQ Blizzard with her own money.
“The reason that we are here today is to celebrate you, graduate interns. And I do mean celebrate because I know firsthand the time and the effort and the dedication it takes to get up, get dressed, go to the workplace and clock in,” he said. “You sat through those classes. You’ve been in the meetings. In addition to being graduates, you’re grownups now. You really are.”
Each intern rotated through three jobs over the nine months. The internships widely vary, ranging from rotations in patient transport and nutrition services to the neonatal intensive care unit and landscaping. They also learn the importance of general job skills like punctuality, courtesy and communication along with practice and instruction in interviewing for a position.
The 2024 graduates are:
- Tyheim Bones
- Lacinda Carter
- Logan Ferguson
- Amy Johnson
- Keshawn Lamar
- Layla Macon
- Gavin McGinnis
- Sunny Welch
After accepting their certificates, each graduate described the departments and offices in which they worked and what their responsibilities were. They then thanked their mentors.
Several of the members of the Class of 2025 mentioned job offers they have received and accepted.
One of those was Gavin McGinnis, who has worked at a uniform company since April 1.
“My favorite aspect of it thus far is the workflow and repetitive tasks assigned to me. It fills me with feelings of fulfillment, being able to work at my first occupation, likewise with the faithful team beside me,” McGinnis said.
Also in April, he said he received his first driver’s license, allowing him to commute back and forth to work independently.
McGinnis said, “Assuredly, Project SEARCH taught me these things and opened my mind to many different paths to pursue. I enjoyed this experience and all that encompassed my time here. Thank you for letting me take part in this program.”
Project SEARCH graduate Sunny Welch, center, and a well-wisher share a hug after the graduation ceremony. Image by Evan Lewis