For biomedical engineering majors Ella Froedge and Shannon Depratter, interning at Nephron Pharmaceuticals has offered more than a resumé boost, it’s opened the door to practical, hands-on experience that aligns with their future careers.
Both students secured their internships through the South Carolina Internship Program (SCIP), a collaborative effort between the SC Future Makers and the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA) with the University of South Carolina. The program connects students with industry opportunities while helping alleviate financial barriers.
Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation, based in West Columbia, South Carolina, is a leading manufacturer of sterile respiratory medications and a growing producer of generic injectable drugs. Its 503B outsourcing division also provides critical medications to hospitals and healthcare providers across the country.
Ella Froedge joined Nephron as an Engineering Intern, where she’s gained an up-close look at what a future in engineering could entail.
“My internship experience at Nephron Pharmaceuticals has been nothing short of amazing,” Ella said. “The people and the environment have been so welcoming and encouraging during my time there. I have been able to get hands-on experience as to what daily duties look like as an engineer and experience knowledge in all aspects of what it means to be in engineering as a career path.”
Working closely with mentors and fellow interns, Ella has contributed to team projects and taken on assignments that have helped sharpen her technical and professional skills.
“My mentors and lead engineers at Nephron answer all of my questions and consistently give me work that challenges me to learn and grow in my abilities,” she said. “I have also been working closely with the other interns to accomplish projects and review documents as new data is reported.”
She credits the South Carolina Internship Program with helping her make the most of the experience.
“The SCIP Program was an amazing gateway to help connect my internship with scholastic needs,” Ella explained. “As a student who is passionate about engineering and wants to be involved, the SCIP program really helped me to pursue and get engaged early on with a career path in engineering to help me see exactly what engineering in the industry field actually means.”
Shannon Depratter interned part-time during the spring with Nephron’s Product Development team, contributing to efforts to improve pharmaceutical production processes.
“I had a part-time spring internship with Nephron Pharmaceuticals as an Engineering Intern in Product Development,” Shannon said. “Throughout the semester, I analyzed data records and conducted various team interviews to enhance the efficacy and quality of the Budesonide manufacturing process.”
Her experience extended across multiple areas of the business, giving her a broad view of engineering’s role in pharmaceutical operations.
“I learned a variety of new techniques, from supply chain to pharmaceutical operating procedures to the FDA process,” she added. “This experience concluded with a proposal to the CEO to integrate new technologies and processes to drive operational excellence.”
For Shannon, financial support from SCIP was a key factor in being able to take advantage of the opportunity.
“The SCIP Program offered security on the financial side of my internship,” she said. “This program allowed me to pursue a new career path at a higher pay, giving me freedom and safety in payments such as rent and groceries.”
By connecting talented students with meaningful industry experiences, the SCIP is helping bridge the gap between education and the workforce. For Ella and Shannon, the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals, contribute to real projects, and gain insight into the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has been a valuable step forward both academically and professionally.
Their experiences reflect the broader goal of SCIP: to strengthen South Carolina’s talent pipeline by giving students access to high-quality internships that prepare them for what comes next.