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2008 CLEH Intern Profiles

 

 

Rebecca Alper

Rebecca Alper
Environmental Studies
Washington University

Future plans: Return to Brazil or enter the Peace Corps after graduation. Come back to the states to pursue a graduate degree, likely in Environmental Health.
Jessica Daniel

Jessica Daniel
Environmental Communications
Oglethorpe University

Favorite Part of the Internship: It would definitely have to be the Iowa Epi Aid. Not only did I get to experience field surveys (in a flood area, in a state I’d never been to) with Epidemic Intelligence Service officers and public health professionals, but it was also great to just meet and learn about some amazing people.
Christopher "Kit" Freedman

Christopher “Kit” Freedman
Kinesiology & Health Promotion
University of Wyoming

Quote: The CDC’s Collegiate Leaders in Environmental Health internship program provides the perfect opportunity to gain real world knowledge and bridge the gap between human health and environmental issues.
Katelyn Hausman

Katelyn Hausman
Ecology & Environmental Biology
Purdue University

Favorite Part of the Internship: My top two would be the relationships developed with the other interns and the wide range of knowledge I was able to gather from all aspects of the internship.
Ashley Hopkins

Ashley Hopkins
Health and Societies, Env. Studies
University of Pennsylvania

Quote: I came away from the internship feeling confident that I could 'hold my own' with the best minds out there.
Tasha Lo Porto

Tasha Lo Porto
Conservation and Resource Studies
UC Berkeley

Future Plans: Peace Corps: I have signed up for Africa, The Caribbean, and South America. When I return, I will either do Teach for America on a Native American reservation or go to graduate school, most likely a MPH and JD joint degree program. I’m still looking into environmental law, but may focus on occupational health and/or environmental justice issues.
Bryan Moy

Bryan Moy
Environmental Science
UCLA

 Quote: At the beginning of the internship I really didn’t know what to expect or prepare for…Never in my wildest dreams had I conceived the thought that I’d be able to co-author a paper for the World Bank as an undergraduate—it’s really a remarkable feeling that I’m very thankful for.
Kira Newman

Kira Newman
History
Yale University

Future Plans: I am contemplating an MD/PhD in either Public Health or Epidemiology, with possible training in infectious disease. It would be interesting to work for a couple of years as an EIS officer, and I wouldn’t say no to being the Director of the CDC.
Michael Rommen

Michael Rommen
Environmental and Occupational Health
University of Washington

Quote: The field of environmental health is so wide, and so far reaching, that I don’t think I can find a better fit. I like the benefit options available to federal employees. I like the challenge of working with people around the country, and around the world.
Joe Shantz

Joe Shantz
Environmental Studies
University of Colorado

Quote: Since the internship I have re-geared my life towards a career in Environmental Health. This internship was incredibly influential on my life.
Antonio Tito

Antonio Tito
Biotechnology
University of Houston

Quote: This internship has taught me how to be a responsible citizen and has given me the tools to reach out to the community. I have learned a lot from working in a group and have grown to appreciate what we usually take for granted.
Josephine Walker

Josephine Walker
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University

Quote: CLEH was different from the other internships I applied for. I had an amazing time and learned a lot, and I’m glad I did it, because I was exposed to a lot of areas that I had never thought about before. We spent a lot of time learning about the built environment which I had known little about before, and now I find it very interesting.
 

 

Advice from Previous Interns to You!

Don’t be too intimidated! While the CDC is just as great as it’s made out to be, it’s not nearly as scary. And, the people happen to be fantastic.
        --Jessica Daniel

Ask others what they're working on. It's the best way to find out more about different types of job opportunities and to find out about all the cool stuff going on at the CDC!
        --Katie Hausman

Never hesitate to ask for help or guidance. It shows that you are interested in the direction of your project and it will save you from feeling lost at times throughout the summer.
        --Tasha Lo Porto

Be open to carpooling! Thanks to the other interns’ cars, and their willingness to carpool, getting to work wasn’t a problem.
        --Kira Newman

I highly encourage you all to take full advantage of getting to know everyone, learning about the different facets and departments within NCEH/ATSDR, and to explore any current and upcoming projects you may be interested in.
        --Bryan Moy

Make contacts and keep them. The CDC staff will help you with school research, grad school plans, and life advice. They are open and willing to help you with whatever you want (during the internship and after) you just have to ask them.
        --Ashley Hopkins

Be open, open to everything. Soak in the CDC, Atlanta, and most importantly the people in the internship with you.
        --Joe Shantz

Group photo

 

    This page last updated on November 24, 2008