Exciting opportunities to work on projects that have a direct impact on the public’s well-being await MTSU students this semester.

The Center for Health and Human Services has internships for students who want to help make a difference in the lives of people and their communities.

Since 2010, the center has placed nearly 40 students in internships working on CHHS grants and projects or those of its community partners. Projects have focused on childhood cancer, cancer prevention and early detection, healthy lifestyles and obesity prevention, tobacco prevention and women’s health.

Casie Higginbotham

“Our students consistently report how pleased they are with their choice to complete an internship with CHHS,” said Casie Higginbotham, a lecturer in MTSU’s Department of Health and Human Performance, also known on campus as HHP.

“I have repeatedly heard from interns that they were able to use what they learned in their classes in a real-world context that made their education come to life.”

MTSU alumnae Kaeley Haslinger and Shatoria Evans participated in internships during the summer of 2017 through the center’s partnership with the Women Survivors Alliance. They created a social media campaign for the organization’s national conference, which hosted 400 cancer survivors from across the country.

“The internship this summer really did pay off and opened my eyes to a world I had not been a part of before,” said Haslinger. “I feel like I know more about how a health-focused nonprofit organization works.”

Another service learning project involved research performed by HHP students over the course of a semester for an oral health and tobacco cessation assessment and training program for dental professionals. This research helped the center obtain a grant earlier this year.

The center develops job descriptions for each student opportunity. Center staff and project partners serve as supervisors, providing feedback throughout the project as well as midpoint and final written evaluations.

The Center for Health and Human Services works to improve the health and well-being of Tennesseans. The center, in partnership with the Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services at MTSU, initiates and strengthens academic programs in health and human services to support workforce development and promote healthy communities.

Through collaborative affiliations and partnerships, the center facilitates research, communications, education and training in public health issues of importance to Tennessee consistent with the mission and purpose of MTSU.

For more information about the program and the internships, contact Cynthia Chafin, interim center director, at 615-898-5493 or cynthia.chafin@mtsu.edu or visit www.mtsu.edu/chhs.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

Interns who have worked on projects for MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services pose with interim center director Cynthia Chafin, who is shown kneeling at left on the front row. Their internships help promote healthy lifestyles and enrich their educational experiences. (Photo submitted)