Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2026 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, across the country, and even around the world.

Rising senior women's lacrosse player Lauren Moylan, a biology major and statistics minor, is gaining valuable experience and making important connections as a global clinical trial operations intern at Merck & Co.

This summer, I have the incredible opportunity to work as a global clinical trial operations intern at Merck & Co., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. In this role, I am getting a firsthand look at the clinical research process required to bring life-saving medications and vaccines from the lab to patients worldwide.

Every day, I have the opportunity to look at the logistics, data management, and regulatory compliance structures that keep clinical trials running smoothly on a global scale.

I chose to pursue this internship to explore how my academic background applies to the pharmaceutical industry, and the experience has solidified my career path. Working at Merck has helped me realize that I have a genuine passion for the pharmaceutical industry, particularly on the clinical research side. Because of this experience, I have decided to pursue a master's degree in clinical research after graduation to prepare for a long-term career in this field.

My journey to Merck was heavily supported at Muhlenberg. The rigorous coursework in both the sciences and statistics gave me the exact analytical foundation I needed to thrive in this internship. I am incredibly grateful to all my professors for their high academic standards, and particularly to my research mentor, Professor Marten Edwards. Being a part of his lab provided me with hands-on research experience that translated directly into the skills I use at Merck.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this summer has been the sheer volume of learning and connection. Merck has provided a fantastic platform for me to network and learn about various departments within the organization, giving me a view of all the opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry.

This internship is not only preparing me for my future, but it has also exposed me to the inner workings of global clinical trials. Additionally, it helps give me important experience as I prepare my applications for graduate school. The professional relationships I am building here are very valuable; the mentorship from industry professionals and the connections within my peer network will undoubtedly support and guide me throughout my future career.

The summer has also been full of unexpected connections that have made the experience even more memorable. I've had the chance to meet several successful Muhlenberg alumni within the company, proving just how strong the Muhlenberg network is. I also discovered that my fellow intern is a student-athlete from a rival school in the Centennial Conference - so while we compete during the school year, we've teamed up this summer at Merck!

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