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Internships with Impact

Students discover purpose and possibility interning at a local business

By UNC Asheville

July 16^th, 2025

An internship through UNC Asheville’s Internship Program is not just about job experience; it's about finding your path, no matter where you are in your career journey.

Through the Career Center, three non-traditional students worked with a local small business, Alontree, for their internship. Alontree produces medical devices and gaming equipment for stroke rehabilitation, all designed by Alon Kaplan, owner of the company and a stroke survivor himself.

One of the interns, Maria Haddon, became interested in this opportunity because it blended her previous career as an occupational therapist with her new experience in computer science.

“I had extensive experience working with patients similar to Alon, but this internship has given me a different perspective,” Haddon said. “Initially I went into this internship with the expectation of working in the software development aspect of it, but I had the opportunity to learn a business aspect. This is an opportunity to get these types of products into the hands of more people that need them."

"It's changed my mind in the way that I might be able to use my skills.”

Maria Haddon said her internship at Alontree blended her past experience with her current degree in ways she never expected.

She and another intern, Darby Sims, are working to code a digital element that will allow patients to track their progress for stroke rehabilitation games designed by Alon. Sims was also excited to use her computer science skills in a unique way to further Alontree’s mission.

“The opportunity to involve computer science in this mission is really cool and it's something I haven't ever thought of before,” Sims said. “I'm not just coding up a website and that's it. What I'm doing is actually helping people in bettering their lives.”

Darby Sims demonstrates the scoring element of the Alontree flower, a rehabilitation game that she is coding a digital element for.

Darby Sims works on coding a plug in for Alontree's website.

Haddon went back to school because she saw how integral technology was in healthcare and wanted to earn a degree that would complement her previous experience. UNC Asheville, with its interdisciplinary structure and strong community connections, was just the place.

“I'm a part of this local community, I'm a product of Western North Carolina. It was really important for me to continue my education in Asheville,” Haddon said.

“Working with a small business, I had an opportunity to explore career interests I might not have had within a larger company.”

Alontree is located at A-B Tech Community College, in the small business incubator, which rents space to small, start-up companies. Addie Cooper, a business major and intern at Alontree, said working in this environment is extremely beneficial for local networking.

“We've gotten to talk to a lot of different people, Jill Sparks being one, who told us a lot about the incubator itself,” Cooper said. “Pretty much everyone we have reached out to has been eager to help. It's been really rewarding to see that a lot of people really do just want your success.”

All of Alontree's products are made in Asheville by a local seamstress.

As part of her internship, Cooper has been working on marketing, outreach, and grant research. She and Hadden teamed up to pitch Alontree’s products to the Asheville Veterans Administration.

“In one of my marketing classes, we had to do a practice pitch for a company we wanted to collaborate with. I replicated what I learned in class to the real life pitch,” Cooper said.

“There's a lot of knowledge I've learned and instead of taking a test to show that I've memorized it, I've been able to actually apply it.”

Cooper is a transfer student who chose UNC Asheville for its tight-knit campus and small class sizes after feeling overwhelmed at a larger institution.

“I wanted to have that connection with your peers, with your professor,” Cooper said, “They get to know your names, you get to know them a little bit. That has really helped me in genuinely learning.”

Addie Cooper works on a slideshow to use in her pitch to the Veteran's Administration.

Similarly, Sims discovered she valued close faculty mentorship when she attended a small community college before coming to UNC Asheville.

“My professors are some of the best people I've ever met. They're so helpful. Even in this internship, I go to them and ask them questions for help, and I get answers and feedback,” Sims said.

When she encountered a roadblock while coding a plug-in for Alontree’s website, she reached out to Sarah van Wart, assistant professor of computer science, and they figured it out together.

“I most likely wouldn't get this opportunity at a larger institution. And that, to me, is why UNC Asheville is one of the best places. They really focus on helping students better their lives.”

Darby Sims said she gained experience in a new coding language, PHP, through working on Alontree's website.

That personal, individualized connection holds true for the Internship Program too. Grace Champion, internship program manager, helps curate each intern’s experience, tailoring it to match their career goals.

“She had us send in our resumes and cover letters and then she sent them out to local businesses. It was good to have it come from a contact that is qualified and vouching for you,” Cooper said. “She helped set up interviews throughout the process and practice interviews through the Career Center.”

Through their internships, students can build skills and discover career paths in a supportive environment.

“Having an internship gives you that head start. It's good for networking, building connections, getting recommendations,” Sims said. “They are able to give you confidence and career clarity. Through this internship, I'm able to get hands-on experience figuring out what it is I want to do with my degree.”

© 2026 UNC Asheville

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