2016 Intern Profiles

Brown University
Environmental Science

If there is one word that most accurately describes my ORISE internship experience with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) this summer, it is holistic. For the past ten weeks, I have gained insight into everything from the national environmental public health initiatives to the infectious disease outbreaks. This internship has been the perfect hands on learning experience, and I know that I will leave Atlanta with a better understanding of what environmental health is and how the CDC- federal government- is working to promote safe and healthy communities. I am more excited than ever to bring my newfound awareness of environmental health into my future classes, extracurricular work, and internships.

Drake University
Environmental Science
Biology, Spanish, Public Health Minor

Throughout the summer internship at CDC, my peers and I invested in the larger public health picture and each other by participating in themed weeks and fieldtrips. These themes included built environment, water, communication, and many others. The support and positive environment fostered within our cohort enabled personal growth, inspiration, and positive challenges during our time together. The large take away from my summer experience stems from the personal investments and growth I experienced internally by finding my confidence, working with a team, and acknowledging that public health aligns with my morals.

University of Texas, Austin
Environmental Science and Geography Biology Minor

During my time at the CDC, I was exposed to a lot of different projects that I hope to continue even after leaving the organization. I hope to dive further into the connections between conservation biology, environmental health, and community development. The intern program that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put together was very useful, and opened my eyes to the many possibilities that the CEC has, and also the possibilities that lie within an Environmental Health career. Due to the internship, I know that I want to follow the environmental health career path and pursue my Masters in Public Health.

Clemson University
Environmental Engineering
Modern Languages, Spanish Minor

This internship has allowed me to participate in a myriad of different projects, and exposed me to a wide range of different CDC employees along the way. The staff at all of the facilities I worked at were fantastic and had a genuine interest in seeing that I learned about the field and learned whether or not this location was correct one for me. This program has pushed me to continue on to graduate school after I receive my bachelors, and hopefully become a PHD for environmental or water resources engineering and hydrology.

Occidental College
Urban and Environmental Policy
Public Health Minor

My experience working at the National Center for Environmental Health as an ORISE Fellow has been an exciting educational learning experience. I was placed in the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Branch and Communications team, and through this placement, I was able to work on a number of projects and contribute to the activities the communications team. Through my many projects, I was able to learn about the importance of communications in public health. Overall, this has been an incredible experience that has furthered my passion for environmental health and has allowed me to work and get to know some incredible people within the CDC.

Ohio State University/University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Environmental Public Health Concentration
International Studies, Development Studies Concentration Minor

The CLEH program introduced to me a plethora of salient topics in environmental health, ranging from built environment to environmental justice. Attending presentations and participating in activities with professionals in various niches of environmental health throughout Atlanta expanded my appreciation of the field, and will allow me to apply these perspectives in my future work. Also being able to work with a diverse cohort and employees at the CDC allowed me to collaborate and learn with individuals with unique interest and perspectives working towards the same goal: Public Health.

Oregon State University
Bio Resource Research Spanish Minor

Throughout the past ten weeks, I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with some amazing individuals at the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC). I have always dreamt of becoming a medical doctor” working with individuals to improve their health on a one on one basis. However, I also was able to see the larger picture, and I knew that policy and public intervention were the ways to successfully change the health of the population. The CLEH internship program provided a holistic overview of all that is done within the federal sector to reduce environmental risk factors and provide equitable and efficacious health to the world.

UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Public Health
Geographic Information Systems Minor

I had a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Collegiate Leaders in Environmental Health (CLEH) internship program this summer. As a CLEH intern, I participated in a wide range of comprehensive programming activities in conjunction with my own summer long project under the supervision of the CDC professionals. Public Health professionals from across the center for disease control came to share their work with the intern group and give invaluable advice for out futures. I am incredibly grateful for this internship program and found very part of it rewarding, insightful, and challenging.