Internships

Pedro Sancha in his office

Leading global impact through science, partnership and innovation

Q&A with Pedro Sancha, President and CEO of NSF

Pedro Sancha, President and CEO of NSF, discusses leading a global public health organization born at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 1944. Serving on Michigan Public Health’s Dean's Advisory Board, Sancha shares how NSF’s 5,000 experts across 110 countries use science-based standards to tackle emerging threats like PFAS and microplastics, keeping families safe through food and water safety innovation rooted in Ann Arbor.

Halimat Olaniyan

How public health shaped a doctor's world view

Halimat Olaniyan, BS ’19

Halimat Olaniyan was among the first students in Michigan Public Health’s undergraduate program. Now finishing her medical residency in pathology, she credits her public health education with shaping her worldview and career path toward transfusion medicine, health equity, and preventing illness rather than just treating disease.

Laura Arboleda-Merino

From third grade dream to public health innovator

Laura Arboleda-Merino, MPH ’17

An internship at a local health department further crystallized Laura Arboleda-Merino's interests in public health. She was no longer just interested in treating individual patients, but in understanding and addressing systemic health challenges. Her academic journey led her to the University of Michigan School of Public Health. The transition wasn’t just about academic advancement but about finding a community that resonated with her interdisciplinary approach.

Eesha Acharya at the Public Health Honors

Transforming global health through compassionate research

Eesha Acharya, BA ’25

Eesha Acharya earned a dual degree in degree in Community and Global Public Health and in Economics as well as a minor in Public Policy from the University of Michigan to form a unique approach to solving complex global challenges. She was named the Student Leader of the Year at the Public Health Honors event in the spring, and her involvement with the Global Health Alliance was a cornerstone of her college experience at Michigan Public Health.

Farhia Mohamed

An emerging leader in Nutritional Sciences

Farhia Mohamed

With a focus on nutritional epidemiology, Farhia Mohamed aims to prevent diseases and promote health through research, education and policy. She served as the Nutritional Sciences chair in the Public Health Student Assembly Senate for the 2024-2025 academic year, highlighting her leadership and commitment to her field.

Isabelle Duong wearing her graduation gown

Childhood challenges shape public health advocate's inspiring journey

Isabelle Duong, BS ’24

As a child—as young as 9—Isabelle Duong was thrust into the complexities of healthcare systems. Both of her parents are Vietnamese refugees who fled during the Vietnam War, and navigating the American and Canadian healthcare systems for her mother, who battles lupus, fell on Duong. The experience not only had a great influence on her views of public health but also encouraged her to champion student voices on public health issues.