Nicki Gau is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Public Health. After graduating with her undergraduate degree, she plans to attend graduate school for Occupational Therapy and gain experience in the field.
Her favorite aspect of the internship was the intern community and THESIS staff. She reflects on her experience, “The amount of care put into running the internship for students was amazing, there were a variety of courses put in place, and they highly valued our feedback. The research project and trip to the CDC was a wonderful experience and something I can look back on professionally and socially. I met many wonderful people who clearly love what they do and emit passion and care through their work.”
Nicki says that the personal statement was an important factor in her application and an opportunity to communicate her interest in the internship despite the limited public health experience on her resume,
which aided her application to become a stronger candidate. She mentions that the application process was smooth and not incredibly stressful as the staff had a more kind and conversational approach. She
says, “I still remember really wanting this position, and it definitely showed in my application. Just show your passion and why it’s important to you!”