BROOKINGS — Students enrolled in the exercise science program in the School of Health and Human Sciences at South Dakota State University now have the opportunity to apply for an exclusive SDSU internship spot in the Human Performance Lab at a top-rated pediatric oncology hospital — St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Human Performance Lab at St. Jude is regarded as a leader in evaluating physical fitness and function, providing chosen SDSU students with premiere experiences in exercise science. This is the first year of the partnership.

The opportunity stems from Evan Ortlieb, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences, who is a cancer survivor and a patient at the St. Jude clinic. While he was there participating in follow-up studies where researchers investigate the long-term effects of chemotherapy, he pitched SDSU’s exercise science program and created this partnership.

“This internship gives students access to professionals who are working at the highest level in their specific career,” Seth Daughters, SDSU instructor and field experience coordinator, said. “This is a world-renowned lab at a world-renowned hospital.”

It’s not just the experience that will give participating students a leg up as they enter their careers. The opportunity to network with some of the top professionals in the field is also an important aspect, Daughters said.

The SDSU students who participate in this program will assist and perform functional testing and research data collection and work with patients actively undergoing treatment for childhood cancer.

In addition to their clinical experience, the students will also complete a case study and other academic assessments based on their work.

St. Jude offers internships to students nationwide, and one to two of those spots will be reserved for Jackrabbits under this partnership.

“Our patient populations encompass all types of childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases, range in age from 18 months to 70-plus years and cover a diagnostic span that ranges from newly diagnosed to 50-plus years of survivorship,” according to the St. Jude Lab’s website. “Approximately 50 patients participate in research testing each week at our state-of-the-art facility.”

Daughters said students in exercise science at SDSU are well prepared to go into this line of work based on their classroom and on-campus experiences. This partnership will further elevate students’ abilities.