Our Students
Summer 2025
Buckeyes take public health beyond the classroom
Internships, research, advocacy projects offer students a summer of purpose
By Amelia Stroud
College of Public Health students work hard throughout the academic year, but for many of them that effort keeps going all summer long. CPH Buckeyes are putting their passion for public health to work through internships, research and community engagement. Their days are filled with purpose and curiosity as they dig into the real-world experiences that shape how they’ll make a difference in public health.
Micah Morris, an MPH student specializing in health behavior and health promotion, is completing her CPH applied practice experience through a study abroad program focused on environmental and human health in Japan. During the 24-day trip, Morris visited multiple cities where she learned about the country’s public health infrastructure, explored environmental health crises like Minamata disease and dissected local fish to study parasitic nematodes and their impact on human health.
“I went to Japan to learn about zoonotic diseases from an esteemed Japanese professor, but what I left with was a taste of what it was like to live in a country where the health and well-being of its citizens is its first priority,” Morris said. “I believe that everything I learned from this trip has made me more passionate about doing everything I can to bring the reality I want to see in America to life through public health work.”
“I went to Japan to learn about zoonotic diseases from an esteemed Japanese professor, but what I left with was a taste of what it was like to live in a country where the health and well-being of its citizens is its first priority,” Morris said. “I believe that everything I learned from this trip has made me more passionate about doing everything I can to bring the reality I want to see in America to life through public health work.”
Liz Fry, an MPH student specializing in biostatistics, is volunteering with the Greater Columbus INSIGHT research study as a surveyor. She is collecting responses for the first-ever community health needs assessment focused on LGBTQ+ populations in the Columbus area and will later help analyze the data to inform how resources can best meet community needs.
“I really enjoy being immersed in the community while I’m working,” she said. “Getting to interact directly with the people that we’re hoping will benefit from this work is so rewarding to me and gives me a sense of purpose as a volunteer.”
“I really enjoy being immersed in the community while I’m working,” she said. “Getting to interact directly with the people that we’re hoping will benefit from this work is so rewarding to me and gives me a sense of purpose as a volunteer.”
Deval Coleman, an MPH-veterinary public health student, is interning with the Ohio Department of Health’s Zoonotic Disease Program lab. Coleman captures mosquitos and ticks for pathogen testing and assists in identifying them. He also prepares vector surveillance materials for county health departments.
“This experience is immersing me into public health work centered around ‘One Health’. I also appreciate the interdisciplinary collaboration that takes place at [the] Ohio Department of Health as it is teaching me how to work across multiple disciplines to achieve optimal health outcomes for both animal and human populations,” he said.
“This experience is immersing me into public health work centered around ‘One Health’. I also appreciate the interdisciplinary collaboration that takes place at [the] Ohio Department of Health as it is teaching me how to work across multiple disciplines to achieve optimal health outcomes for both animal and human populations,” he said.
Akshita Vaka, a Bachelor of Science in Public Health student specializing in environmental public health, is working as a research assistant with Ohio State's Scientific Health Empowerment and Integrative Solutions (SHE IS) lab. She supports research on reproductive and women’s health, including data collection, literature reviews and drafting content for newsletters and social media. She’s heavily involved in a study focused on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
“Being part of a team that empowers women through research and advocacy has been incredibly rewarding,” she said. “I also appreciate the mentorship and collaborative environment that SHE IS provides.”
“Being part of a team that empowers women through research and advocacy has been incredibly rewarding,” she said. “I also appreciate the mentorship and collaborative environment that SHE IS provides.”
Carissa Opal Moore, an PhD student specializing in environmental health sciences, is working as a research assistant with CPH Professor Darryl B. Hood. Her work includes front-end development to improve project accessibility, analyzing air quality data and engaging in fieldwork and community events.
“I really enjoy the community in our division over the summer,” she said. “It’s very supportive and we’re all happy to be here and help out when we can. I also am really benefiting from coding in Python with the resources provided from Ohio State both for my current work and future prospects.”
“I really enjoy the community in our division over the summer,” she said. “It’s very supportive and we’re all happy to be here and help out when we can. I also am really benefiting from coding in Python with the resources provided from Ohio State both for my current work and future prospects.”
Tyler Matt, a Master of Health Administration student, is completing his administrative residency this summer at Licking Memorial Hospital. He’s working on a wide range of projects that include estimating the tax benefit of the hospital’s nonprofit status, auditing publicly reported data, supporting stroke certification efforts and timekeeping system upgrades. He also participates in board meetings and collaborates with teams across departments to turn complex data into actionable insights.
“What makes the experience especially rewarding is how approachable and supportive everyone is, from frontline staff to senior leadership, including the CEO” he said. “It’s a truly immersive and collaborative environment.”
“What makes the experience especially rewarding is how approachable and supportive everyone is, from frontline staff to senior leadership, including the CEO” he said. “It’s a truly immersive and collaborative environment.”
Smita Parajuli, an MPH student specializing in epidemiology, is interning with Richland Public Health in Mansfield, Ohio. She is helping update Richland County’s epidemiology plan by reviewing the current manual, identifying areas for improvement and incorporating updated public health practices and data standards. She is also preparing to analyze local health data to identify trends in infectious and chronic diseases.
“Working on the epidemiology manual has given me real-world insight into public health policies and programs,” Parajuli said. “Being able to apply what I’ve learned in class to develop an actual program manual has been both rewarding and eye-opening. I’m also looking forward to diving into the data analysis portion in the coming days, where I’ll be using and expanding on the SAS (statistical software) skills I’ve learned so far.”
“Working on the epidemiology manual has given me real-world insight into public health policies and programs,” Parajuli said. “Being able to apply what I’ve learned in class to develop an actual program manual has been both rewarding and eye-opening. I’m also looking forward to diving into the data analysis portion in the coming days, where I’ll be using and expanding on the SAS (statistical software) skills I’ve learned so far.”
Beatrice Kuk, an undergraduate student specializing in environmental public health, is spending her summer at the Wiseman Hall research facility through the Cancer Research Experience for the Advancement and Training of Emerging Scientists (CREATES) program. Her internship focuses on dietary patterns and their relation to cancer risk among women at high risk for breast cancer. She is transferring and analyzing dietary data, identifying demographic characteristics, reviewing literature and sharing findings with her lab team during monthly presentations.
“What I enjoy most about my internship experience is the opportunity to learn from my mentor, Associate Professor Fred Tabung,” Kuk said. “His guidance has deepened my understanding of the research process as well as helping me grow intellectually and professionally.”
“What I enjoy most about my internship experience is the opportunity to learn from my mentor, Associate Professor Fred Tabung,” Kuk said. “His guidance has deepened my understanding of the research process as well as helping me grow intellectually and professionally.”
Victoria Leonard, a Master of Health Administration student, is interning across three Ohio State Wexner Medical Center facilities: Harding Hospital, Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital and Talbot Hall. She is organizing educational sessions that provide information about mental health conditions and treatment options, revising handbooks and developing plans for a comfort box to support patient well-being with positive messages, stuffed animals and other items.
Leonard is also creating educational materials on the probate process and analyzing how opioid stewardship programs at the medical center compare to those at other health systems.
“This experience elevates my Ohio State public health education by being able to apply what I have learned in the classroom to real-world situations and opportunities,” Leonard said. “What I enjoy most about my summer internship is meeting all the different staff and faculty who work at Harding, Dodd and Talbot and learning about their experiences at the Wexner Medical Center.”
Leonard is also creating educational materials on the probate process and analyzing how opioid stewardship programs at the medical center compare to those at other health systems.
“This experience elevates my Ohio State public health education by being able to apply what I have learned in the classroom to real-world situations and opportunities,” Leonard said. “What I enjoy most about my summer internship is meeting all the different staff and faculty who work at Harding, Dodd and Talbot and learning about their experiences at the Wexner Medical Center.”
Silu Zhang, an MPH student specializing in epidemiology, is interning remotely with the Huangshi Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China as an epidemiology data intern. Her work focuses on organizing data collected on vocational school students’ awareness of HIV to inform health education strategies.
“This experience allowed me to apply what I learned in my public health courses, especially in epidemiology and data analysis, to a real-world setting,” she said. “I really enjoy knowing that my work contributes to improving public awareness of HIV. Being part of this effort makes me feel like I’m making a real difference in public health.”
“This experience allowed me to apply what I learned in my public health courses, especially in epidemiology and data analysis, to a real-world setting,” she said. “I really enjoy knowing that my work contributes to improving public awareness of HIV. Being part of this effort makes me feel like I’m making a real difference in public health.”