Name: Laura

Year: Senior

Major: Social Policy

Minor: Global Health, Political Science

CFS Program: Field Studies in Public Health

I applied for my internship on a whim during the summer, thinking that it would be a good change of pace to work part-time and take classes part-time. However, taking two fewer classes was going to ruin my plan to graduate early – until I realized that with CFS, I could get credit for something I was doing anyway and supplement my internship with a relevant class. Since I am working at the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Field Studies in Public Health class was the obvious choice. The application process was not difficult, and the staff has been helpful in providing tips for me to get the most out of my internship.

Although it has only been a few weeks so far, I am glad that I decided to participate in Chicago Field Studies. I have always been interested in public health as a career but have never taken a class explicitly on the subject, so learning about a different public health topic every week is a great overview of the discipline. It is also interesting to hear about my classmates’ internships and how they relate to the broad field of public health. At work, I have already gained research and communication skills that will be invaluable in future pursuits. I highly recommend Chicago Field Studies to any students looking for an experience that includes learning both in and out of the classroom.