This summer, eight School of Public Health students are participating in hands-on internships with social impact organizations as part of the Do Good Institute Impact Interns program. They join 49 other University of Maryland students in this professional development and leadership pipeline that links them to project- and social impact-based summer internship opportunities with alumni organizations and partners of the Institute. The program provides emerging social sector leaders with meaningful opportunities to gain professional experience, develop skills, build a professional network and learn more about working in the nonprofit and social impact sphere.
Luarys Atanacio, Howard County Autism Society
Atanacio is a junior pursuing a degree in public health science and is a member of Carillon Communities’ iGive program. She is a premed student and the marketing & recruitment chair of Students Engaged In Public Health. She has worked directly with kids under the spectrum over the summer at Trellis and has experience volunteering at Best Buddies in high school. In the future, she hopes to work directly in the healthcare field and do some more nonprofit work to help make an impact.
Atanacio is interning with Howard County Autism Society, a nonprofit that supports individuals on the autism spectrum, their families, and their communities by bringing awareness to autism that values each individual and working to improve the quality of access to services and to educational opportunities.
Christin Croal, Stella's Girls, Incorporated
Croal is a senior pursuing a degree in public health science with a minor in sustainability studies and actively participates in Students Engaged in Public Health. She previously worked as a communications and development intern at Sambhali U.S. and as a volunteer at A Healthier You nonprofit. Her aspirations include establishing a personal nonprofit organization centered around maternal and child health.
Croal is interning with Stella’s Girls, Incorporated, an organization that aims to empower young girls and women to be leaders and advocates in their communities.
Meeya Dickson, Nonprofit Prince George's County
Dickson is a rising senior pursuing a degree in community health with a minor in technology entrepreneurship and corporate innovation and is a member of the Southern Management Leadership Program. She has engaged in enriching activities like participating in a food insecurity program and volunteering at the nonprofit, A Wider Circle. One of her greatest achievements is raising hundreds of dollars for a shelter for families experiencing homelessness. In the future, she plans to seek her CHES certification in health education and use her skills to promote healthy living in Prince George’s County.
Dickson is interning with Nonprofit Prince George's County, an organization that aims to support and enable nonprofit organizations to better meet the needs of Prince George’s County residents.
Taliah Hodges '23, MPH '24, I Will Survive, Inc.
Hodges graduated with a degree in public health science in 2023 and is in her second year of the 4+1 accelerated Master of Public Health Program with a concentration in health policy and management. She was a member of College Park Scholars’ Global Public Health program and the Global Fellows in D.C. program. She is part of the pathways program with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and will serve as a graduate teaching assistant this fall for a foundational public health course. In the future, Taliah hopes to obtain a position that allows her to increase access to quality healthcare resources.
Hodges is interning with I Will Survive, Inc, an organization that provides support through education and services to individuals at a higher risk or impacted by breast cancer.
Elyse McQueen, The Be. Org
McQueen is a senior pursuing a degree in community health and is a member of the College Park Scholars’ Global Public Health program. She is also a member of Active Minds at Maryland. She has worked for the CRIPT/WhereFlu? research study under the PHAB lab. In the future, she hopes to work in the social impact sector as a nonprofit researcher.
McQueen is interning with The Be. Org, an organization dedicated to developing the youth into leaders and to live above socially-imposed limitations.
Esohe Owie, Maryland Center for Health Equity
Owie is a rising junior pursuing a degree in public health science with a minor in French studies and is a member of the Gemstone Honors College. She is also a resident assistant, vice president of marketing and technology of the Sister to Sister program, and a public health science ambassador. Esohe is passionate about reducing health disparities and fostering health equity in underrepresented communities through community-engaged research and health policy implementation.
Owie is interning with the Maryland Center for Health Equity, which is committed to improving the health of Maryland residents and addressing racial disparities in health through research.
Mansi Patel, Bethesda Green
Patel is a rising junior pursuing a degree in public health science and is a member of the Design Cultures and Creativity program. Previously, she worked for the Howard County Conservancy to form and coordinate the Climate Change Institute, and has been a speaker for the Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Education Conference. In the future, she hopes to work at the intersection of public health and environmentalism.
Patel is interning with Bethesda Green, an organization addressing environmental challenges locally through making a collaborative, green community.
Arden Perry, Vikara Village
Perry is a senior pursuing a degree in community health. She is also a member of Alpha Xi Delta. Previously, she has worked as a co-leader in the creation of an art therapy program for the students of The Arc of Prince George's County. In the future, she hopes to continue her education and earn her JD with a health law concentration.
Perry is interning with Vikara Village, a nonprofit that combines movement and the arts to help empower individuals.
Learn more about the program and meet all 57 Impact Interns.