Hundreds of students will gather in Elkhart Saturday to explore what it’s like to work in healthcare. The Beacon Youth Summit returns for its second year at the Tolson Center, offering hands-on demonstrations and career exploration for young people ages eight and up.
Pam Morrison, Beacon’s manager of workforce development, says the event will feature more than 30 learning stations and workshops led by doctors, nurses and emergency crews.
“We’ve got 371 people registered for this event, and that’s just the people who’ve signed up,” Morrison said. “It’s helpful for planning lunches, but we’ll welcome anyone who shows up — even if they didn’t register.”
Morrison says the summit is about more than just one day of activities. She calls it part of a broader effort to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
“We can’t recruit our way out of the talent gaps,” she said. “This is really a long-term solution — planting seeds in younger people so they may consider careers in healthcare.”
The summit will also feature a keynote address from Dr. Dale Okorodudu, founder of Black Men in White Coats, an organization that promotes mentorship and diversity in medicine.
Morrison hopes the event will show students that a future in healthcare is within reach.
“Access to healthcare careers is more available now than ever — through shadow experiences and mentorships,” she said. “Those are some of the things we hope will be a great takeaway from this event.”
The Beacon Youth Summit begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Tolson Center, 1320 Bonham Avenue in Elkhart.
