Name: Mayisha Rahman
Class Year: 2021
Major: Biology
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Internship Organization: Prevention Point Philadelphia (PPP)
Job Title: Communications and Outreach Intern
Endowed Internship Funding Award: Springer-Rosenblum Summer Internship Fund
Location: Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia (remote)
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
Currently, I am working with the full-time staff and volunteers at PPP in order to create videos showcasing the services that Prevention Point has to offer. I’m also doing independent research surrounding the opioid epidemic and harm reduction!
Why did you apply for this internship?
Last semester, I took a class called Community Engagement and Social Responsibility, which was a part of the Tri-Co Philly program. As part of the class, we had to volunteer at a local organization and I chose to do it at Prevention Point! Located on Kensington Avenue, PPP’s mission has been “to promote health, empowerment, and safety for communities affected by drug use and poverty.” The organization aims to do so by fostering an environment in which trust, respect, responsibility, and advocacy for their clients will be at the forefront of all the services they provide. Harm reduction is at the heart of all of these services. Since I first learned the concepts behind harm reduction and safe injection sites, I’ve always thought about how we can bring positive impacts to communities and demand positive change in those same areas. As a result, I decided to continue to my journey at PPP in the form of a formal summer internship!
Was there anything special about how you found this internship?
I feel like the classes that I took as part of the health studies minor led me to this organization and eventually this internship. I have previously devoted summers and semesters to conducting research, and being able to work at PPP this summer is something that was out of my norm. Working at PPP came with the realization that I want a career in preventative care and public health. I’m incredibly grateful for my past experiences and to my professors who have discussed career options that would best cater to my interest. My experiences both inside and outside the classroom have allowed me to completely rediscover my interests and focus on a more service-oriented career path by keeping Philadelphia at the heart of most of my decisions!
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?
Anybody who knows me will tell you how much I love hands-on and collaborative (mainly in-person) work. Working from home and doing this internship remotely has definitely been the biggest challenge! I’ve had to adapt constantly and develop my existing skill set in order to ensure that this experience meets both my supervisors’ and my expectations. I was initially hoping to be on campus and gain a wider perspective of the PPP’s health clinic and so having to work for communications and outreach instead has been a huge adjustment. However, I love the team that I work with and can reach out to my supervisors whenever I have any queries, and am definitely in awe of the full-time staff’s dedication to the organization’s mission!
Visit the Summer 2020 Internships page to read more student stories.