Mariyah Rumpca-Veronese ’28 knew she wanted to pursue a career in medicine, but as a first-generation college student, it could sometimes feel like she had more questions than answers about how to actually do it.
That’s why the STEM Scholar from Minnesota, who is double majoring in chemistry and English, was so happy to attend a special winter break “trek” to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus with the Career Development Office (CDO).
There, Rumpca-Veronese got a chance to tour one of the country’s top pediatric hospitals and meet with more than a dozen medical professionals — including several Kenyon alumni.
The visit to Nationwide Children’s was one of multiple efforts by the CDO to help students explore careers over winter break. The office also coordinated job shadows for 24 students, three of whom focused on the healthcare field in Chicago, Colorado and Mount Vernon. Those who already qualified for financial aid were eligible for $100 daily stipends.
During the trek to Columbus, 17 students — many of them STEM scholars on a pre-med track — heard from hospital staff specializing in sports medicine, genomics, behavioral health, radiology, emergency medicine and more. They learned about the wide variety of careers in medicine and the equally diverse academic paths that can be used to achieve them.
The hospital was named in 2025 to the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll — a distinction given to only 10 hospitals annually — for the 12th consecutive year and was tied for the top children’s hospital in Ohio and the Midwest. It has more than 17,000 employees and is home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Josh Lisko, director of employer relations at the CDO who organized the day trip, said Kenyon was excited to partner with one of the country’s largest and most-acclaimed pediatric hospitals.
“When students attend these employer events, they expand their understanding of potential career fields, gain the knowledge needed to plan their next steps, and connect with decision-makers at the employer who can help secure an opportunity,” Lisko said.
Dr. Nick Zumberge ’95, a pediatric radiologist at Nationwide, led a panel discussion with three other doctors that included a former classmate he knew from Gambier, Dr. Brian Becknell ’97, a pediatric nephrologist. Zumberge said one of Kenyon’s greatest strengths is its good work developing critical thinking skills and promoting strong relationships with faculty and staff.
“It was a very good place to prepare for medical school,” he said. “I would have been lost at a larger school … because I didn’t know where I was going or how to navigate this properly.”
Two alumni who participated in a separate panel were Iggy Nah ’23, a clinical research coordinator II in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Hollen Knoell ’25, a clinical research coordinator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health. Both talked about the importance of connections in starting out a career, whether through professors and their extended network or alumni who are working in the field.
“We’re really one big family, and Kenyon alumni are here to help,” Nah said. “We want to help you get to where you want to be.”
That kind of support is appreciated by students like Skylar Helms ’27, a biochemistry major from Cincinnati and a student volunteer with the Mount Vernon Fire Department. The STEM Scholar aims to go to medical school and pursue a career in pediatrics.
Helms said she found it valuable to learn about the many career possibilities that exist within the world of pediatrics and the multiplicity of roles that each can have simultaneously — from clinical to research to administrative and beyond. And as a first-generation college student, she found the insights and stories shared by panel participants incredibly helpful.
“I really don’t have an insider perspective,” she said. “I feel like the most exposure you can get to physicians and their own experiences is really helpful.”
English major Elianajoy Volin ’26, who is minoring in neuroscience and gender and sexuality studies, took part in the visit to Nationwide as well as the job shadowing program, where she followed Isaac Owen ’25, who works as a medical assistant with Colorado Heart and Vascular. Both experiences were helpful as she considers what career in healthcare might be the best fit for her, and she’s already started corresponding with a pair of panelists to learn more.
“I’m excited to network with them and hear more about their paths,” Volin said.
