Public Health Student Blogs

Hi, my name is Jingyi and I’m an Environmental Health major.  The first thing some people think when they first hear my major is “So…you protect trees”, which is true, but we also deal with air quality, water pollution, vector control, food safety, and so much more.  Environmental health is the foundation for healthy and safe living and working environments, but not many people realize that.  This summer, through interning at the Indiana Public Health Training Center (IPHTC), I was able to participate in educating the public on what exactly is environmental health and how we affect lives.  I worked on developing competency sets for the various jobs within the field, such as industrial hygiene and biohazards, and I also helped in the “Introduction to Public Health in Indiana” PowerPoints.  By promoting environmental health to the general public, more people will come to the understanding of what it is and hopefully, by the time then, nobody will be thinking of just “So…you protect trees’ when they hear the phrase environmental health.

My name is Faryal Khatri and I’m currently a senior at Indiana University Purdue University - Indianapolis (IUPUI). I’m anxiously looking forward to graduation in December of this year. I’m working on a dual-degree: Health Services Management and Economics. I just recently started working at the Indiana Public Health Training Center (IPHTC) as a programs intern. I’ve read about and studied public health in my classes at IUPUI, but to see it in action and to be a part of it is whole new experience. Public health is a fairly new and growing field. With the talk of health reform, there are several exciting changes in the near future. I’ve been seeking out various public health institutions in Indiana and nationwide. It’s really incredible to see how many different organizations there are and the wide spectrum of areas they cover. Typically, people only think of hospitals or clinics to be public health organizations, but the umbrella of public health covers an array of other areas such as food safety, epidemiology, and disaster preparedness and readiness. My internship at IPHTC has broadened my horizons and expanded the borders of what public health means to me. I’m really excited to see what new leaves I’m going to turn in the next few months.

My name is Elizabeth Krauskopf, and I am a recent graduate of the Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management Department at IUPUI. During my final semester this past spring, I was given the opportunity to work at the Indiana Public Health Training Center to plan and implement the 4th annual Indiana Joint National Public Health Week Conference, held on April 5-6, 2011. You can imagine I was pretty excited to accept this internship because it encompassed literally everything I was looking for in a job in event coordination: everything from managing registration, speakers, and schedules to reserving rooms and catering orders and even promoting the event through different outlets. Now I’ve attended my fair share of events, and in past jobs I’ve been a part of many different kinds of events, but this was definitely different. The main thing that made this so different from my past positions was the fact that I was “in charge” of this conference. I felt really empowered, and I was able to put the majority of my focus on all aspects of this event, rather than just one portion of the planning process.

After a month or so of becoming acclimated to the work environment and my routine, I began to really dive into the details of the conference. I communicated with countless speakers and professionals in the public health field. Everyone I talked to was very willing to work with me and help me, especially since this was my first experience working with a public health oriented organization. I was encouraged to use my creativity, and Kate was always open to discussing new ideas or ways to improve the planning process and maximize the attendees’ experience. I had guidance when I needed it, yet freedom to put my own twist on things. One of the best parts about this internship was the exposure to each end of the spectrum of event planning. Sure, there were many of those days when I got to order exquisite foods and shop for fun giveaways for attendees, but there were also those days that I spent putting together a 70 page booklet or working with Excel for hours to organize speaker information. This experience showed me what all really goes into events behind the scenes. And I was fortunate to see all of that “behind the scenes” work pay off on April 5 and 6, 2011! All of the thank you’s, the smiles, and the appreciation that attendees showed during those two days was very rewarding for me, and it absolutely reaffirmed my decision to pursue an education and a career in this field.

I have had many experiences throughout the last four years of college that have shaped me as a professional and as an individual. I am grateful to say that this internship experience has had an impact both personally and professionally.  Working at the IPHTC has opened my eyes to the many different opportunities that the field of event coordination and management has to offer. I no longer think of event planning as one type of job; it can mean so many things in a wide variety of organizations. I’ve broadened my horizons to look for career opportunities that will allow me to make an impact on the organization, my community, and society as a whole.

Thank you to all of my coworkers at the Indiana Public Health Training Center. Without your guidance, flexibility, and shared knowledge, I would not be in the position I am in today. I’d also like to give a huge thank you to Kate Nicholson for all of your invaluable mentoring and direction that you’ve given me during this experience. I feel ready to take on challenges, and I’m confident that I can make a difference, no matter what path my event planning career takes me. J

My time at the Indiana Public Health Training Center has been exceptional. A fantastic learning environment with many resources available at your finger tips. The staff is fun, energetic and a pleasure  to spend time with and brainstorm ideas. The learning environment allows me to put into action the academic knowledge I have gained the last 2 years in the Master of Public Health program.  I have had the experience to creatively think outside the norm for evaluation process.  These include the much needed questions one need’s to capture to improve the training center programs and measure their success. The IPHTC is staying above the curve in so many areas especially the website. Technology is advancing and more and more being used an avenue for health resources. I am getting firsthand experience to disseminate health education and information over the web for my particular field of Epidemiology.