Mercy Health is celebrating a major milestone in workforce development this spring, recognizing students who completed internship and career-readiness programs at both Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital and Mercy Health – Springfield Regional Medical Center.
This year marked the first graduating class of the LIFE Transitions internship program at Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital, created through a partnership with the Madison-Champaign Educational Service Center (ESC). Three interns completed the inaugural year of the program.
According to Mercy Health, the LIFE Transitions program is designed to help interns build independence, confidence, and job readiness skills through hands-on experience in a hospital setting. Interns spend several days each week working alongside staff mentors in departments across the facility.
Mercy Health recently hosted an End of the Year celebration recognizing the interns’ accomplishments. During the event, Katie Brazille was selected as Mentor of the Year, while Nutrition Services was honored as Department of the Year for its support and guidance throughout the program.
“This program is about giving interns the opportunity to learn by doing,” Brooke Martinez, director of volunteer and auxiliary services for Mercy Health, said. “Seeing our first group complete the program and the growth they’ve shown has been incredibly rewarding.”
In addition to the LIFE Transitions program, Mercy Health is also celebrating the 2026 graduating class of Project SEARCH, a nationally recognized workforce transition program for students with disabilities.
Mercy Health partners with Springfield-Clark CTC, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, United Rehab Services, and Developmental Disabilities of Clark County to offer the Project SEARCH program.
Interns in Project SEARCH rotate through several hospital departments to gain practical job skills, interview experience, and workplace confidence. This year, five interns received diplomas after successfully completing the program.
Mercy Health officials say the program has a strong track record locally, with many graduates securing employment within their first year after graduation.
“Both of these programs reflect our commitment to supporting interns and strengthening our local workforce,” Martinez said. “By connecting education with real-world experience, we’re helping set these interns up for long-term success.”
