Drexel Co-op Student Nathan Miller, winner of the 2009 CEIA Cooperative Education Student of the Year Award.
Nathan Miller has been selected as this year’s Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA) Cooperative Education Student of the Year
The extraordinary caliber of this year's candidates made for a challenging selection process. The outstanding work exhibited by Nathan on campus, in the community, and at his co-op work site, exemplifies cooperative education at its best. The association formally presented Nathan his award during the 2009 CEIA Gala Awards Banquet held April 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon.
Nathan Miller, a member of the Pennoni Honors College, is a Biological Sciences student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at the College of Arts and Sciences. While balancing a rigorous academic schedule, co-op and extra-curricular activities, Nathan has maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.80.
During his co-op, Nathan held the position of clinical coordinator in the “22q and You” Center within the Division of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The “22q and You” Center provides multidisciplinary care for children from around the globe with a chromosome 22q11.2 deletion. This genetic disorder, one of the most prevalent birth disorders in the nation, affects approximately 1:4000 children. As clinical coordinator, Nathan’s responsibilities included documenting patients’ full medical history, which included pregnancy, birth, pediatric, medical, family, developmental, and educational and then view this information with the Program Director to determine treatment order and patient priority. The position also required special interpersonal skills in addressing the needs of concerned families, while simultaneously balancing system limits to schedules requiring patients’ access to as many a fifteen sub-specialists a week. It was reported by physicians and families alike, that Nathan performed all of these duties and responsibilities with aplomb. He was a consummate team player and an amazing patient advocate. Compliments streamed in on Nathan’s behalf. Parents declared “not only did Nathan call me back in a timely fashion, but he was always pleasant and kind”.
Nathan will receive his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in June 2009. He is one of two candidates accepted for the Early Assurance Program to study medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine. Nathan aspires to become a pediatric reconstructive surgeon.
