Emma Carter '25 never expected to be spending her summers in Franklin, Tennessee. Of course, she never expected to be surrounded by cadaver limbs at an internship. Life, she's learned, is full of the unexpected.
Carter's older sister attended Clemson in South Carolina because the popular trend at their New Jersey high school was to go south for college. But the popular choice isn't always the right choice for everyone.
"That was just thing thing to do, but I decided I wanted to stay reasonably close to my family. That's when I discovered Siena. It was the perfect fit and the perfect distance from home. But then home changed."
Carter's parents have always been explorers. Carter was born in Washington state, but grew up in four different homes scattered across California, and that's before the family decided to give the East Coast a try. Once they put down roots in New Jersey, Carter's parents promised they wouldn't move again... until she graduated from high school. Practically the moment Carter's diploma was in hand, they started searching.
"They both grew up in a rural area of California. They were ready to trade in suburban life for a farm. They wanted goats and chickens, and now they've got them."
They found their paradise in Franklin, south of Nashville, but that put Carter in a tough spot. She wanted to be close to family, but she had found her paradise too.
"I considered transferring out of Siena, but it was a fleeting thought. I love Siena. People talk about the community, but that really is the difference. It's so welcoming. There are so many resources as well. I love my friends, my professors, my major. All of it."
Carter has spent her past few summers in Tennessee, but without a friend group to return home to, she's using the time to explore career options. This summer, she landed a marketing and sales opportunity with SurgiCor, an independent agency specializing in the wholesale distribution of orthopedic medical devices. The marketing communications major had zero experience in the field, so she needed to nail the interview. In preparation, she went through every single interview question provided by the MacDonnell Career and Internship Center's career guide, and made herself an 18-page Google Doc.
"The idea of the interview was terrifying. But I guess the preparation worked! When I got here, it was definitely a huge learning curve. They speak their own medical language, so I had to get a master list of the all abbreviations and acronyms that are part of the lexicon."
Carter works with her supervisor on the company's newsletter, among other tasks. Plus, she's getting use to the farm life. She loves the goats, and because the time with family is limited, it feels more meaningful. Carter expects to start her career on the East Coast, but she assumes she'll end up in Tennessee at some point. At least until her parents decide to move again...
In order for orthopedic surgeons to determine whether or not a particular device is best for them and their patients, they've got to try it out. SurgiCorp provides that opportunity right in their Franklin, Tennessee offices... with cadaver limbs. The cadaver leg (above) is smudged and blurred for the sake of the squeamish. It took Carter a while to get used to it as well.
"We bring in a surgeon, and they'll perform the whole knee surgery, for example, on the cadaver leg to decide whether they like it. It was intense, for sure, seeing that for the first time, but it's standard procedure in the medical device business. I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had here, and I now know for sure that I want to pursue a career in marketing."
