Scholar's Work
Gabriela diaz
"This summer was full of exciting and fulfilling moments. I balanced travel, research, work, and a chemistry course which made for a busy yet enriching summer. I began my 6-week course in late May, where I learned a variety of topics ranging from kinetics and acid-base equilibrium to thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. In mid-June, I started working as a Clinic Assistant at a Sports Medicine Physical Therapy clinic. This position allowed me to shadow therapists and doctors, and learn firsthand the effects that injuries, surgeries, treatments, and rehabilitation, have on patient outcomes.
On a different note, July and August were marked by a period of traveling. I traveled to the Bahamas for the first time and to Guatemala where I visited family, did some sightseeing, and got up close and personal with dengue fever. This experience of being treated in a substandard health system further reinforced my commitment to improving global public health.
Additionally, this summer I was able to finalize my contribution to a nutrition research study on artificial sweeteners in child beverages. Soon after, I was able to participate in a second study that aimed to investigate the maternal morbidities of pregnant and postpartum women in India and Pakistan. I performed qualitative coding on over 26 interview focus groups where I gained valuable insights into the differences in maternal health worldwide."
Humnae Mccollum
"This past summer has been full of reflection, fun, and recuperation. I was able to reconnect with myself and slow down from the hustle and bustle of school and extracurriculars. I traveled with friends and family, tried different foods, and spent quality time with the ones I love. I was able to visit family in New York, go to Canada for Fathers’ Day, go to Bethany Beach and Rehoboth Beach with friends, and go to Baltimore to visit my sister; however, the most memorable time I have had over the summer was traveling to Bethany Beach with my friends. I was able to become a complete beach bum for those five days, learn to fish, and indulge in delicious foods with good friends. All in all, I was able to reset and come back strong for the new school year as this summer has forced me to slow down and learn to understand that we are all moving at our own pace. Not everyone has to have the best internship and the best research job, but as long as you are enjoying what you are doing, that is all that matters in this constantly moving world."
Holly Akati
"This summer proved to be an exciting mix of professional growth and personal enjoyment. As a paralegal at my law firm, where I've been working for two years now, I continued to build my experience in debt collection and contract law. The legal field has become familiar territory, and I've grown more confident handling various cases and procedures. While maintaining my professional responsibilities, I also took some summer classes. It was certainly a challenge to balance both, but the routine helped me stay focused and productive.
The summer wasn't all about work and studies, though. I made sure to take full advantage of the sun and warm weather! I went to the beach with my family, went to the Montgomery county festival, and had a thrilling day riding roller coasters at Kings Dominion in Richmond. One of my favorite memories was attending my first kpop concert, an experience that lived up to all my expectations!
Throughout the season, I found ways to spend quality time with both friends and family. While juggling work, school, and social life sometimes felt overwhelming, I discovered that with good planning and flexibility, it's possible to create a fulfilling balance. Looking back, this summer taught me valuable lessons about time management while creating lasting memories."
Maja hawthorne
"Summer 2024 was a great reset button for the upcoming year. Heading into my junior year of college, I realized how quickly “the real world” , as many would say, was approaching. Knowing this, I took this summer to not only indulge in some R & R but to also start propelling my future career through professional opportunities. Fresh off the school year, I was invited by my mentor to The Google I/O Conference through the Tech Equity Collective in Northern California. I was able to network, gain advice from tech professionals, and get a first look at upcoming Google technologies that will propel our society forward including the health space. After this event, I had some much needed time with family and friends that included lunch dates, baseball games, pickleball tournaments, Atlanta Greek Picnic, county fairs, yelling at our tv during the Olympics, and of course watching a show that I personally have known for years : Love Island. This summer was also the summer of firsts, as I traveled to Philadelphia for the first time, had my first DC summer, and took part in my first summer project in the public health realm with Dr. KAM and Fairuz Mohammed. This collage is only a snapshot of my summer, but some of the memories that I cherish most. Here’s to authentically growing and thriving even more this school year!"
Miriam titilaye
"This summer was a blend of professional growth and personal rejuvenation. I had the opportunity to return home to Nigeria and work at Atlantis Pediatric Hospital in Lagos, where I gained invaluable experience in medicine. Under the guidance of esteemed doctors and medical professionals, I witnessed and assisted in basic medical procedures in obstetrics, pediatrics, and gynecology. This hands-on experience deepened my understanding of these fields and gave me meaningful insight into the healthcare system in Nigeria. Observing both the strengths and challenges of the system, I became more motivated to contribute to improving the healthcare system, particularly in providing access to healthcare for underserved communities. Beyond work, it was wonderful to spend time with my family, reconnecting and relaxing after the intensity of the medical program. After my time in Nigeria, I traveled back to the United States to complete a chemistry course for the second half of the summer, furthering my academic progress. This combination of medical experience and academic advancement made my summer
both enriching and fulfilling, strengthening my passion for making a difference in healthcare."
Thanh tran
"This summer, I had the opportunity to conduct research at the George Washington University Medical School, focusing on myasthenia gravis. I explored the disease’s mechanisms and helped develop antigen-specific immunotherapies. Our lab’s experimental paradigm consisted of researching vaccine outcomes in rat models as well as designing antigen-specific CAR-engineered regulatory T cell therapies for potential human application. I contributed to technical experiments, such as PCR analysis, gel extraction and electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, DNA procedures, and Miniprep of Human Alpha 1 Delta Dimers, to support therapeutic development. In addition to my research, I volunteered at MedStar Hospital, where I gained valuable patient care experience. I assisted with patient intake, supported medical staff, and observed clinical procedures. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of the patient care side of medicine and allowed me to see how critical effective communication and empathy are in building trust and ensuring patient well-being in the healthcare field. As a creative outlet, I also designed a custom art project this summer, working on a unique doll. This project allowed me to apply my artistic interests and engage in a hands-on creative process, balancing the academic and research-heavy aspects of my summer with something fun and personal!"
Sydney boyd
"This summer, I interned at Centene Corporation as a Federal Affairs intern in their Washington, D.C. office. Centene Corporation is a large multinational healthcare company focused on providing services to government- sponsored healthcare programs, particularly Medicaid, Medicare, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. As a Federal Affairs Intern I worked with External Affairs senior leadership to support federal legislative bill tracking, summarization, and corporate positioning on key health policy areas, including Medicaid, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, and the ACA Marketplace. I contributed to policy research, analysis, and literature reviews, drafting internal and external memos, white papers, and advocacy resources. Additionally, I gained valuable insights into corporate federal government relations and the managed care industry through presentations, guest speakers, and cross-functional intern collaboration at Centene. Throughout my internship I ate a lot of great food as our office catered our lunch every Tuesday. We also had some work related lunches and dinner at yummy restaurants such as Le Diplomate, La Officina, and Grazie Nonna. It was so fun to mix up my style this summer and wear business clothes, especially to congressional hill hearings and meetings. The highlight of my internship was being flown out to St. Louis, Missouri, where Centene is headquartered, for an intern summit. We had a 3 day conference of different development and professional speakers and all the c-suite executives. Overall, I had a great experience interning at Centene and learned so much this summer!"
Kiandra white
"Hello everyone, I’m Kiandra! During the summer, I thought I had a relatively mundane time, but looking back, I was quite busy with so many projects! From the end of the previous semester and the duration of the summer, I was blessed with many opportunities that came my way, so as the summer came, I continued to work on and indulge in these things throughout my time back home (in Texas!) and while on vacation. While in Texas, I got the opportunity to go back home and see my family and we spent the latter half of the summer (yes, my puppy included) on vacation! It felt like a breath of fresh air to be away from the city for a little while and be in my element in my hometown without the presence of schoolwork being there. I got the chance to focus on the direction in which I wanted to take on working on certain projects and made some great headway with the help of lots of cafe days and early morning canyon runs! My blog is filled to the brim with notes and bits from my summer, so I hope you enjoy learning more about them here!"
Jasmine Valencia
"This summer, I completed the CDC John R. Lewis Scholars Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Through this program, I had the privilege of interning at JADA House International — a non-profit based in and run by a native of the Hazelwood community in Pittsburgh, Ms.Terry Shields. Alongside another intern, I worked on JADA House’s Kinship Program. The Kinship program was designed to create a community and provide resources for unconventional caregivers within Hazelwood, typically grandparents who assumed the primary caregiving role for their grandchildren. We were tasked with creating a presentation to share with the participants of the program. The first half of our deliverable explored the role of music in promoting health and enhancing intergenerational relationships among Kinship participants. The second half focused on identifying and addressing barriers to healthy food access within Hazelwood by developing a food access resource directory. At the end of the program, we presented our projects at the CDC research showcase in Atlanta. After the judging rounds, my co-intern and I were awarded the 2024 Williams-Hutchins Health Equity Award. I am very grateful for the amazing people I was able to meet and learn from through this transformative experience."
