Millbury To Italy, Back To Millbury: A Full Summer For Double Major Ally Mahoney '26
Ally Mahoney ’26 can’t be accused of taking the summer off.
The Massachusetts native is a wastewater testing and treating intern for Upper Blackstone Clean Water in Millbury, a town in her home state, through the middle of August. In the middle of the internship, she packed her bags to travel to Italy with two Keene State friends for a two-week dance intensive.
Did we mention that Ally is a double major in biology and theatre & dance, with a focus on choreography and performance?
Our Owl students know the value of having options and charting diverse paths to success. Ally is part of the 55 percent of Keene State students who participate in field experiences or internships to strengthen their job qualifications and appeal. It is also their way to connect with other cultures, broaden their perspective, and learn about their field of study with a real front-row seat.
With my majors being so different, I feel like I am almost living a double life. … Not only did Keene State feel right from the first day, but it was one of the few schools that allowed me to study dance alongside biology, which has always been my favorite subject.”
– Ally Mahoney ‘26
“With my majors being so different, I feel like I am almost living a double life,” Ally said. “I have to be able to adapt to my different environments that have completely different ways of learning to be successful.”
“Not only did Keene State feel right from the first day, but it was one of the few schools that allowed me to study dance alongside biology, which has always been my favorite subject. I’ve been dancing for 14 years and wasn’t ready to give it up after graduating high school. I’m unsure what to do when I graduate, but I will have options and hope for a bright future.”
In Italy, Ally and fellow dance majors Ashley Doyle ’25 and Jenna Limperis ’25 took three dance classes daily and rehearsed for an outdoor performance on the final day of that breakaway venture. There was also time for sightseeing and exploring. “I can’t wait to return home with new inspiration for my studies in dance.”
Then, it’s back to gloves, protective glasses, and boots. At Upper Blackstone Clean Water, Ally prepares solutions and reagents and performs tests for chemicals and bacterial contents. Entering data she collects into a database to be analyzed and ensuring that treated wastewater released into the Blackstone River is clean is another component of her work experience.
“Field work or lab work … I’m preparing for the real world in the real world,” Allyson said. “I’m getting opportunities to learn and connect with professors and classmates. There are many ways to build a resume and an internship is one of the best.”
Otherwise, her larger life goals are admirable for their uncomplicatedness: “Start a family and be content with where I stand in life.”
