Building Future Leaders Who Can Think Clearly, Imagine Boldly, and Solve with Purpose

In Dr. Holloway’s Internship Program, we are deeply committed to shaping a new generation of learners who understand how to think—not just what to think. Our interns come from multicultural backgrounds, many of them entering health, behavioral health, STEM, or community-facing careers. They deserve an experience that strengthens their ability to serve cross-cultural communities with clarity, empathy, and innovation.

To do that well, we focus on three essential cognitive skills:
critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem solving.
Each brings something powerful to the table, and the magic happens when they’re used together.

Where Critical Thinking Begins: Identifying the Real Problem

Most of us were introduced to critical thinking in school. It often shows up as:

• analyzing information,
• questioning assumptions,
• spotting errors,
• identifying what isn’t working.

In many ways, critical thinking is a diagnostic tool. It helps students name the problem, which matters tremendously in healthcare, public health, and STEM. Without accurate identification, every solution misses the mark.

But identifying the problem is just the starting line—never the finish.

Where Creative Thinking Takes Us: Vision, Possibility, and Context

Creative thinking is where interns begin stretching into something new.
It teaches them to:

• look at a situation within its cultural and human context,
• explore multiple angles rather than relying on a single “right” answer,
• imagine outcomes that feel hopeful and doable,
• think playfully and positively while still grounded in reality.

If critical thinking shows what’s wrong, creative thinking reveals what’s possible.

This form of thinking is rare in traditional academic settings, yet it is exactly the mindset our future healthcare and STEM workforce needs. Communities are complex. People are diverse. And every real-world problem requires both logic and imagination.

Problem Solving: Turning Vision Into Action

Problem solving is where everything converges.

It blends the clarity of critical thinking with the expansive mindset of creative thinking. Students learn to:

• find the objective causes of a problem,
• design solutions that honor long-term impact,
• articulate a clear strategy,
• and practice visioneering—a key skill for leaders.

Visoneering teaches students to hold a picture of the future that is honest about current realities and energized by positive potential. This is how solution-based thinking grows, and it’s how interns learn to design lasting, high-quality outcomes for the people they will one day serve.

Why This Matters for a Cross-Cultural, Human-Centered Workforce

Every intern in the Internship Program participates in experiences intentionally built to strengthen these three modes of thinking. The goal is to prepare students with:

• stronger cultural awareness,
• the ability to understand diverse perspectives,
• the confidence to solve problems with equity and empathy in mind,
• and the skill to navigate a world where healthcare and STEM increasingly demand both technical knowledge and human-centered thinking.

When students can spot a problem clearly, imagine solutions boldly, and design action steps thoughtfully, they become the kind of professionals who elevate systems rather than simply work inside them.

That is the heart of the program.

Looking Ahead: Future Trainings and Opportunities

We’re continually building out training pathways that deepen these strengths—trainings intentionally designed to develop human-centered, culturally responsive, and innovation-minded leaders.

You can preview the types of trainings we are preparing for the future here:
👉 https://jeremyholloway.com/trainings/

These upcoming offerings reinforce our belief that great leadership is a blend of clarity, creativity, courage, and compassion.

Closing Thought

Critical thinking gives students the flashlight.
Creative thinking hands them the map.
Problem solving teaches them how to journey forward.

In the Internship Program, we’re committed to nurturing all three so that students can thrive in their careers and uplift the communities they serve. The future our interns will shape is bright—and we’re honored to walk alongside them as they build it.