MEDIA, PA — Five students from Delaware County Community College (DCCC) took a significant step toward careers in biomedical science this summer after being selected for the prestigious Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program at the Wistar Institute.
The participants—Kyle Hocevar (Drexel Hill), Leila Nair (Chester Springs), Danlei “Clair” Tien (Newtown Square), Eden VanDyke (Media), and Lillian Yost (Exton)—spent 12 weeks immersed in advanced lab training, gaining college credit and paid internship experience.
The BTT program, run by the Wistar Institute—a global biomedical research leader based in Philadelphia—addresses the growing demand for skilled laboratory technicians and research assistants in the life sciences. The initiative combines two weeks of intensive lab training with dual five-week internships at academic and industry labs. Students earn academic credit through DCCC’s internship program, coordinated by its Student Employment and Co-op Center.
This hands-on program is also a registered pre-apprenticeship, paving the way toward Wistar’s Fox Biomedical Research Technician Apprenticeship—the nation’s first registered, nontraditional apprenticeship for biomedical research, approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
Eden VanDyke, who begins her biology studies at West Chester University this fall, said the experience deepened her understanding of science career pathways. “I really enjoyed how different my two lab placements were, which gave me a better understanding of how broad a science-related job can be,” she said.
Faculty advisors from DCCC, Drs. Bela Dadhich and Robert Suran, provided academic oversight. Dr. Dadhich called the opportunity “phenomenal,” noting that students learned directly from field leaders using advanced technology.
The program is led at Wistar by Dr. Kristy Shuda McGuire, Dean of Biomedical Studies, and supported through DCCC’s long-standing partnership with the institute. The collaboration reflects a broader effort to link classroom instruction with real-world scientific application—bridging the gap between education and employment in Pennsylvania’s growing biotech sector.
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