Summer internship opens doors to discovery, career success for community college students

When Karla Zamarripa walked into a USC chemistry lab for the first time, she wasn’t sure what to expect. A first-generation college student from Cerritos Community College, she had never imagined herself conducting advanced research in a university setting — let alone helping to create a brand-new material in the process.

Working alongside chemistry faculty and graduate students at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Zamarripa dove into a project focused on semiconductor nanocrystals, known as quantum dots. Through her persistence and curiosity, she helped synthesize a new, nontoxic form of quantum dot that had never been created before — a breakthrough that may soon be published in a peer-reviewed science journal.

“At first I was timid in the lab,” she recalled. “But the internship helped me understand that my input is important for moving a project forward.

Zamarripa is one of 47 students who have participated in the USC–Cerritos College Summer Research Internship in Sustainability since its founding in 2010. The program provides full-time, paid summer research experience to students from nearby Cerritos College. A significant number of the students are the first in their families to attend college and pursue careers in science.

“Many of these students are in really difficult positions: They have to work, many of them have families, and they have real lives on top of trying to attend school,” said Professor of Chemistry Richard Brutchey, founder and co-director of the program. “As a first-generation college student myself, one of the most rewarding aspects of running this internship program has been the opportunity to give back to students,”

Sustainability internship lays pathway to success

Launched through a collaboration between Brutchey and longtime friend and colleague Jeff Grover, a faculty member at Cerritos College, the internship is built on the belief that hands-on experience, mentorship and community support are essential for students to thrive in science.

The program has grown from three participating faculty members to seven and has maintained a remarkable success rate: 100% of interns have transferred to four-year institutions, with nearly all pursuing degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Several have gone on to pursue and earn PhDs in chemistry, biology or pharmacy.

Jose Araujo joined the program during its inaugural year. He then transferred from Cerritos College to USC, completed his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and later earned a PhD from the University of Washington. “I would never even have applied to USC if I hadn’t participated in the program,” Araujo said. “The internship gave me hands-on experience that helped reinforce my interest in chemistry and showed me the value of being able to do undergraduate research.”

Alejandro Cuellar-De Lucio credits the program with shifting the course of his life. “Before the internship, my confidence in doing scientific research was very low,” he said. He went on to earn a degree from the University of California, Berkeley and is now a Vanier Scholar and PhD candidate at the University of Calgary.

Philanthropy powers summer internship

From the start, the program has offered paid internships — enabling students who might otherwise need to work summer jobs to focus on the research. That commitment means consistent fundraising is essential.

Financial support from Agilent Technologies, a global research, development and manufacturing company, as well as personal contributions from Agilent employee Steve Gagliardi and his wife, Cathy, have been instrumental in sustaining and growing the program. Their generosity funds student stipends, research materials and travel for interns to present their work at scientific conferences.

“Agilent’s support has expanded our capacity and enriched the experience for each student,” Brutchey said. “It’s also helping us integrate the Agilent Center of Excellence [in Biomolecular Characterization] at USC into the program, giving interns access to state-of-the-art analytical tools they wouldn’t see anywhere else.”

Summer sustainability internship’s impact is personal

While the scientific achievements are impressive, Brutchey is quick to emphasize that the program’s greatest impact is personal. “Building relationships through collaboration, working to understand each other’s unique perspectives and supporting our mutual growth are the things that truly matter,” he said. “It’s about helping students become the best versions of themselves.”

For Zamarripa, now preparing to apply to PhD programs in chemistry, that spirit of mentorship and exploration has opened doors for her future. “Collaborating with my mentors at USC helped me make exciting progress as a chemist,” she said. “It was a big adjustment, but now I know how to bring my ideas to the table and work in a collaborative setting.”

“STEM is all about discovery,” Brutchey said. His advice to students entering the field is simple but powerful: Stay curious, ask questions and don’t let fear stand in the way of growth. “You won’t know everything right away, but it’s okay to be uncomfortable — that’s how you grow.”

Editor’s Note: Jenny Nelson contributed to this article.