Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) 2025 at CUIMC
This summer, 74 youths participated in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) 2025, gaining hands-on experience across 56 departments at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). In addition to their placements, 43 students received specialized enrichment opportunities: 45 earned CPR and Stop the Bleed certifications through the School of Nursing (SON), and 8 explored clinical research through the Office of Community Health’s (OCH) BRIDGE program (Building Research Interest to Discover, Grow and Excel).
These collaborations, led by the Office of Academic and Community Partnerships (OACP) in partnership with SON and OCH, ensured that participants were not only exposed to health sciences career paths but also gained practical, first-hand knowledge and skills that will support their future academic and professional pursuits.
Mariama Diallo, a SYEP participant, shared: “I wanted to thank you for accepting me into this program and giving me the chance to be part of the team. From the start, you made me feel welcome and included, and I’m grateful for the trust you showed in letting me contribute and learn alongside everyone here.” The success of SYEP underscores CUIMC’s commitment to youth development, community engagement, and fostering diversity in health sciences. The program hopes to enroll even more youth next year, providing additional opportunities to explore careers in medicine, research, and community and public service.
As noted by SYEP supervisor Robert Tillman, Associate Vice Dean & Director of Mentoring and Advancement at the Vagelos Institute, who hosted a participant in his department: “The program offers New York City youth meaningful work experience while allowing us to build connections with the future of CUIMC and the wider community through shared learning and engagement.”
A heartfelt thank you goes to all the participating departments for their time, guidance, and commitment to mentoring and inspiring the young professionals of the future:
| Abdominal Organ Transplant | Department of Urology | Pediatric Cardiology |
| Anatomic Pathology | Dermatology - Basic Science Research Group | Pediatric Cardiology - Pulmonary Hypertension Center |
| Anesthesiology | Disaster Preparedness and PEM/EMS | Pediatric Division of Hematology / Oncology / Stem Cell Transplantation |
| Cardiology Research | Division of Digestive Liver Diseases | Pediatrics - Division of Molecular Genetics |
| Center for Injury Science and Prevention, Department of Epidemiology | Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology | POPFAM - Mailman School of Public Health |
| Columbia Mailman Office of Career Services | Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program | Programs in Physical Therapy |
| CUIMC IT | Irving Institute for Clinical Translational Research - Clinical Research Resource (CRR) | Psychiatry - Behavioral Medicine |
| Dental Medicine, Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology | Neurology | School of Nursing - Division of Finance & Administration - Office of Operations |
| Department of Dermatology - Dermatology Clinical Practice and Dermpath | Neurology / Epilepsy | Student Health on Haven |
| Department of Environmental Health Sciences, SHARP Program | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Department of Surgery |
| Department of Medicine - CCTI | Office of Medical Education | The Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center |
| Department of Pathology and Cell Biology - Cancer Cytogenics | Office of Student Affairs - School of Nursing | The Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center |
| Department of Pathology and Cell Biology - The Division of Personalized Genomic Medicine | Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging | VP&S - Office for Research |
| Department of Pediatrics / Central Administration | Ophthalmology | VP&S - Office of Community Health |
| Department of Pediatrics, Office of Medical Education, Diversity & Inclusion | Otolaryngology | VP&S - Ophthalmology |
| Department of Psychiatry, Neural Circuits Lab | Pathology and Cell Biology | |
| Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine | Pediatric Cardiac Surgery |