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Internship Spotlight

Gary Martell ’76 and Chernoh Shaw ’16

It takes a certain type of person to thrive in the hands-on work environment of the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem, according to Gary Martell ’76, the club’s chief professional officer. His interns work directly with area children who participate in the national after-school program, and duties include providing homework help, mentoring and facilitating drug and alcohol and gang prevention initiatives. “You really do get an education as to what the world is really like,” he says.

It’s the flexibility, compassion and patience of Hounds like Chernoh Shaw ’16 that keeps Martell looking to his alma mater for capable interns. “What we have here is controlled chaos,” explains Martell, an assistant football coach and past president and chairman of the Blue & Grey Club. “I knew Chernoh’s work ethic and great attitude from the football team, especially his willingness to learn and seize new opportunities, so he was naturally a good fit for this internship.”

“I was a club member growing up, so I can relate to the kids in many different way,” says Shaw, a sports management major. “It’s important for the kids to have someone they can identify with as a mentor and a role model.” It’s also important to think on your feet, a skill B&G Club interns pick up quickly. When Shaw handled a particularly challenging situation with grace one Saturday this spring, Martell dubbed him a member of the B&G Club family for life.