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(HOWARD, SD) – Howard High School student Elizabeth Martian volunteered with the Horizon Health Foundation and Horizon Health Care’s marketing department as a chance to give back to her community.
Starting in January, Martian worked with the Foundation learning about healthcare philanthropy and how investors make an impact in patient care through equipment, capital needs and programs such as Horizon’s cancer care and transportation assistance funds. She worked with the team in different areas, including the annual fund, multi-marketing communications, database entry, and thank you letters and receipts. Her involvement in projects like direct mail, e-mail and social media communications will assist in raising funds for Horizon’s clinics across South Dakota.
“Elizabeth is a very intelligent and hard-working student. She worked in various areas with our Foundation team, including making a phone call to set up an investor lunch and making her first ask of an investor,” said Tracy Pardy, executive director of the Horizon Health Foundation. “I look forward to watching her grow in her skills and seeing where she will land professionally.”
Martian also worked side-by-side with the marketing department for Horizon Health Care. She gained experience through planning social media campaigns, creating graphic design templates, preparing newsletter articles and getting an inside look of the start to finish process of marketing and communications within a health care organization. Her involvement helped to increase awareness of Horizon’s clinics and educate patients on healthy lifestyles.
"I’m very grateful for the opportunities that I have experienced throughout this internship. I met many wonderful people and have learned several great things from both the Horizon Health Foundation team and the Horizon Health Care marketing team,” said Elizabeth Martian, Howard High School student. “Although I am only a junior, I plan on taking some graphic design classes in the future, as well as furthering my knowledge in the philanthropy world. I was fortunate to tag along with such amazing leaders and appreciate them for everything they have taught me about their careers."
After being inspired through her internship, Martian chose to lead the way for the sixth annual Tigers Step Up 2 Cancer campaign, in which students and teachers at Howard High School team up to support patients of Horizon Health Care that are affected by cancer in Miner County. Martian will lead sponsorship coordination and t-shirt sales that will begin this fall.
“It's been fun to see Elizabeth grow her classroom skills into career-related skills. I'm impressed with the scope of the work Horizon has immersed Elizabeth in,” said Lisa Wiese, youth internship advisor at Howard High School. “I appreciate the partnership Horizon has with Howard High School and fostering students to build career readiness skills.”
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care. Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fundraising arm for Horizon Health Care. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health Care, which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met.
About Horizon Health Care
For over 40 years, Horizon Health Care has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and behavioral health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 32 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.