“Through this Micro Fellowship, I realized how much I enjoy applying my skills in practical settings, especially in areas like project management, CRM systems, and working with diverse communities.”

—Jessica Gapfizi ’26

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES

I first learned about this internship through Justine Harrison, associate director of Career Planning at the College. She helped me secure my internship and told me about APEX Fellowships and Micro Fellowships. What interested me most about the opportunity was connecting research with its real-world impact. I enjoyed learning about different faith communities and seeing how diverse organizations could become a part of an interfaith dialogue.

LESSONS LEARNED

I found this internship rewarding due to the variety of responsibilities and skills. I would build a structured database that the organization could use for outreach. Every day, I entered verified data into the CRM system (Monday.com) and made sure records were complete and consistent. I gathered key information such as names, addresses, websites, and emails, and cross-checked it for accuracy. I searched for faith communities in priority regions using online directories, Google Maps, and official denominational websites.

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE

At the College, my mentor was Qimin Huang, assistant professor of statistical & data sciences and mathematics. My other mentor was Bob Frankle, CEO and President of Building Bridges Together (BBT), and my supervisor during this experience. Throughout this project, I strengthened several skills that I know will benefit me in my career. I developed strong research and information-gathering skills by learning how to locate and verify reliable data across multiple sources. I also improved my attention to detail and data management skills, making sure that the information I collected was accurate, consistent, and properly organized in the CRM system. Using a CRM platform was a valuable experience, helping me in future roles that require customer or community relationship management.

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH

This internship gave me a clearer picture of how research, data management, and outreach can intersect to support real-world community programs. I learned how structured information can be used to build stronger connections between organizations, which made me think more about how technology and data play a role in community engagement. This experience has influenced the way I see my career path. Before the internship, I mainly thought about my field of study in terms of theory and classroom work. Through this Micro Fellowship, I realized how much I enjoy applying those skills in practical settings, especially in areas like project management, CRM systems, and working with diverse communities. Seeing how data supports faith-based and community organizations showed me that good data practices are essential for almost any kind of work.

WHAT’S NEXT

Although this internship was remote, I really enjoyed learning how to manage my time and sharpen my skills. This internship confirmed for me that I want to pursue opportunities where I can combine research, organization, and technology to make a meaningful impact. I will continue to put my communication and other skills to good use in my future career.

Featured image: Jessica Gapfizi ’26 completed an APEX Micro Fellowship with Building Bridges Together (BBT) over the summer, collaborating with founders Bob Frankle and Diane Frankle ’75. Photo provided by subject.

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“I have seen first-hand how socio-economic barriers to health can shape patient outcomes and am determined to contribute to research that helps alleviate these issues.”

—Louise Fenny��’27

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES

Fenny: I learned about this opportunity through LinkedIn and networking with members of the organization. It was a great fit for me because I was looking for a hands-on way to impact my community in a healthcare setting.

LESSONS LEARNED

Fenny: I loved working with kids and following patients along a continuum of care. I did a range of tasks each day depending on how far along the surgical program was. On some days, I did more administrative work, while on others I would shadow different cleft surgeries.

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH

Fenny: My fellowship mentor was Jamie Adler. She was instrumental to my success in this position. Each week, her questions prompted reflections that helped shape how I approached tasks and handled the corporate climate.

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE

Fenny: I have learned to be responsive, reliable, and detail oriented. I have also built empathy, compassion, and the resilience needed to ensure patients get the care they need, no matter how unique their challenges are. These are skills that are invaluable to my future career as a physician or physician-scientist.

WHAT’S NEXT

Fenny: This internship has solidified my career plans by defining my why. I have seen first-hand how socio-economic barriers to health can shape patient outcomes and am determined to contribute to research that helps alleviate these issues.

Featured image: Louise Fenny ’27, photo provided by subject.

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“I realized I really liked working with people, especially in the medical setting. It energized me even more than the public health work I did that was more grant related.”
– Ruhee Mehta ‘26
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FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Mehta: I learned about the organization through the community partner fair. I then contacted them and worked as a volunteer before deciding to intern with them. As I am pre-med and on the public health pathway, my work with Viola Startzman Clinic gave me a lot of medical exposure, as well as an understanding of public health and how to facilitate access to medical care for unhoused people.��

LESSONS LEARNED��

Mehta: I learned a lot about communicating with people of different backgrounds, advocating for myself, and creating my own structure.��

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Mehta: My mentor was Jamie Adler, health professions advisor. She gave me a lot of support and helped point out different courses of actions I could take when I was frustrated. She was invaluable in helping me reflect on my experience, which came in useful when I was writing medical school applications.��

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Mehta: I realized I’d like to incorporate an element of charitable work in my life as a physician, and that medical school was for me. I also found a passion for working with unhoused people and reaffirmed my commitment to becoming a doctor, having applied once my internship ended.��

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“Recognizing the resilience and adaptability I gained this summer, I plan to continue strengthening my skills by actively seeking out challenging research environments that push me to think critically and remain flexible under pressure.”��

—Chrissa Baldy ’26

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES

Baldy: Believe it or not, I learned about this internship through my Spanish class. One of my classmates casually mentioned that his mom is a neurology professor at Johns Hopkins, and my ears immediately perked up. I asked him about her work and whether she might be looking for interns. A few days later, he shared her contact information and let me know she’d be open to a conversation. Despite not knowing much about the Schwannomatosis disease, her mission to understand and develop treatments for it resonated deeply with me. The opportunity to contribute to research aimed at improving the quality of life for patients was incredibly exciting.

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Baldy: I am most interested in understanding the underlying biological mechanisms that cause the disease to manifest in affected patients. My tasks in the lab varied from day to day, but I mostly worked with human tumor samples. In the first few weeks of my internship, my role primarily centered around culturing media from the cells of painful tumors. I then transitioned to a project focused on Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting that never came to fruition for reasons outside of my control. Towards the end of my internship, I spent time performing protein analyses of the tumor samples and authored the introduction and background sections of the lab’s future publication.��

Baldy gains lab skills while working at Johns Hopkins. Photo provided by subject.

LESSONS LEARNED��

Baldy: Throughout my internship, I honed my foundational lab techniques, such as sterile pipetting, cell culture, and quantitative protein assays, while also gaining fluency in executing experimental procedures. Beyond technical skills, I’ve deepened my ability to synthesize findings and communicate them through impactful scientific writing. These skills are crucial to scientific research and will continue to guide my work in neuroscience.��

WHAT’S NEXT��

Baldy: This summer shifted how I see myself as a researcher. I used to worry that biology was too complex for me, which led me to focus more on behavioral neuroscience. This APEX Fellowship has shown me that I do have a place in biology-based research, and that I genuinely love exploring disease mechanisms. Recognizing the resilience and adaptability I gained this summer, I plan to continue strengthening my skills by actively seeking out challenging research environments that push me to think critically and remain flexible under pressure. I’m now excited to pursue experiential-based programs abroad to build on that foundation.

Featured image: Chrissa Baldy ’26 completed an APEX Fellowship at Johns Hopkins over the summer. Photo provided by subject.

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“My APEX Fellowship experience was an incredibly amazing opportunity to explore something I never thought possible today.”
—Nurain Amier ’26��

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FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Amier: I learned about my internship opportunity through my professor, Dr. Margaret Ng Wee-Siang, who introduced me to the vet, Dr. Brett Ellis. This position was a particularly good fit for me because I have been curious about how Chinese medicine is still used and applied today, especially in veterinary medical settings. As a pre-vet student, I was very intrigued to learn how Chinese medicine is helping with treatments of pain and illnesses in various small and large animals.����

LESSONS LEARNED����

Amier: One skill that I worked on was observation, and this is a skill I see myself carrying forward in my career. In order to assess what health problem an animal has, I saw that the vet does not only listen to the heart and lungs or other organs but also checks the animals’ teeth, takes their pulse, assesses the color of the tongue, and looks for areas of inflammation, excessive heat, or coolness throughout the body; I tried to do the same with each appointment I observed. Overall, having sharp observation skills is critical for ensuring the best treatment to help an animal.��

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Amier: My fellowship mentor was Jamie Adler, the pre-health advisor. She helped me reflect on the experience and provided encouragement for what I could improve throughout my internship to maximize the knowledge and skills I gained.��

Nurain Amier, photo provided by subject.

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Amier: This internship has really solidified my plans to learn Chinese medicine and apply it into my future practice as a veterinarian. I never realized that acupuncture and Chinese herbs are still used and can be beneficial in enhancing treatment and care for various animals, ranging from dogs and cats to horses and livestock. I had such a fun and memorable time and gained a lot of new insights!��

Featured image: Nurain Amier ’26, photo provided by subject.

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“It was truly an amazing experience that I don’t see myself forgetting about anytime soon. I am forever grateful to have been able to take this opportunity without having to worry about the financial strain thanks to the APEX Fellowship.”
—Britza Ruiz ’27��

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FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Ruiz: I learned about my internship opportunity by reaching out to the current farm manager at Evanston Grows on LinkedIn. The position was a great fit for me since my passions for sustainable agriculture and community-based work are tied into the mission of the collective which works to expand food sovereignty by building local food systems.��

LESSONS LEARNED��

Ruiz: Having to know how to adjust my mannerisms and ways of communicating is something I will forever carry with me. Especially since, as my career progresses, I will continue having to interact with all different types of people, so it is good to know how to deal with and communicate with them.��

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Ruiz: My fellowship mentor was Professor Elizabeth Schiltz, the Chair of South Asian Studies. She supported me by giving me good feedback on all my activity logs and reflections. She was also considerate and understanding when I needed an extension during some super busy weeks.��

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Ruiz: This internship reinforced my passion for nonprofit and community related work. It inspired me to continue towards a job related to environmental justice. I really enjoyed being able to interact with a wide variety of people, whether they were volunteers on the farm or regulars at the farmstands. I got to meet people from 4 to 85 years old from all different walks of life, so it was interesting to get to know those who would attend regularly and to build a relationship with them as time progressed. Being surrounded with like-minded people and getting to converse with my coworkers and supervisors showed me that people have been fighting for a more just and sustainable world longer than I have been alive.����

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“What interests me the most about my work is how each patient is unique. It is this quality that shapes how effectively a patient succeeds with their plan of care.”
— Jankowski ’26��

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FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Jankowski: Because I was already a Health Coach in the Community Care Network, I knew about the opportunity to continue working in this position over the summer. I decided to apply for this summer position because I wanted to improve my patient interaction skills and develop a solid understanding of common health-related issues in the community.��

LESSONS LEARNED��

Jankowski: This internship has strengthened my patient interaction skills, deepened my appreciation for the profession, and affirmed my commitment to helping others.��

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Jankowski: My APEX fellowship mentor was Jamie Adler, the pre-health advisor. Jamie would provide thought-provoking questions for me to consider each week as I began my fellowship, which helped me think more critically, emotionally, and efficiently when working with patients.��

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Jankowski: Working with patients who have different diagnoses and medications gave me insight into the important connections between human body systems. This experience also confirmed my decision to pursue a career in the medical field. What interests me the most about my work is how each patient is unique. Every person comes from a different background and set of life experiences that contribute to their perspectives on healthcare. It is this quality that shapes how effectively a patient succeeds with their plan of care.��

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��“This internship allowed me to observe and be involved with the inner workings of a small museum. I was also able to get experience working with collections.”��

—Allie Toombs ’27��

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Toombs: I contacted the internship organization online. I learned about Micro Fellowships through meetings and emails with APEX staff members. I am pursuing the museum studies pathway, and I hope to work in a museum. This internship allowed me to observe and be involved with the inner workings of a small museum. I was also able to get experience working with collections.��

CARRYING IT FORWARD��

Toombs: Every day, I worked on disaster mitigation. I reorganized and catalogued their extensive toy collection that had been damaged by a flood. I worked with the museum software Past Perfect and re-catalogued each toy into a new box, along with taking photographs and doing condition reports. I also occasionally helped to organize and stage the historic house for guests. I was interested in the history of the historic house, and it was helpful to learn how a museum operates.��

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Toombs: The collections manager at The Field House Museum, Stephanie Lake, served as my supervisor. She taught me the basics of Past Perfect software, and helped me to identify potential collection hazards, such as mold.��

Allie Toombs ’27 works with toy collection at The Field House Museum. Photo provided by subject.

LESSONS LEARNED��

Toombs: I learned how to use the collections software Past Perfect, which will be useful in any museum career. I also got a behind-the-scenes look into how a museum is run. I improved my professionalism skills, as I was required to dress and act professionally.��

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Toombs: This internship has given me exposure to effective history communication in a museum setting, along with collection management. It has also slightly changed my career plans, as the collections work was a little repetitive.��

Featured image: Allie Toombs ’27, photo provided by subject.

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“The position was a good fit for me because it allowed me to apply the skills I had gained from my economics and English studies in a practical setting, combining data analysis and writing to address a real business problem.”��

—Marine Kang ’26��

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Kang:��I learned about the internship opportunity and the APEX Micro Fellowships through the College’s career development resources and faculty mentors who encouraged me to apply. The position was a good fit for me because it allowed me to apply the skills I had gained from my economics and English studies in a practical setting, combining data analysis and writing to address��a real business��problem. It also connected directly with my interest in consulting and my long-term career goals, since the project��required��both quantitative analysis and qualitative insight, much like the work of strategy consultants.��

Kang collaborates with the Broehl Law Office team. Photo provided by subject.

TAKING INITIATIVE��

Kang:��What interested me most about the work was the chance to integrate data-driven insights with human perspectives to solve a concrete business challenge. Each day, I worked with��PracticePanther��activity logs, QuickBooks invoices, and survey data to build a dataset that could shed light on client retention patterns. I coded survey responses,��conducted HC3-adjusted��regressions��to address small sample size bias, and analyzed tone and engagement measures to see how communication style influenced client satisfaction. In addition to quantitative work, I interviewed stakeholders, created referral maps, and developed visual materials such as infographics to make my findings accessible. The blend of daily data analysis and direct engagement with people made the experience intellectually rewarding and��practically meaningful.��

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Kang:��My supervisor was attorney Derek Anderson, who provided guidance on the direction of the project and encouraged me to think critically about how research connects to client needs. He supported me in framing my analysis around practical outcomes and helped me understand the broader context of the firm’s services. His mentorship ensured that my work stayed relevant to the firm’s long-term strategy while giving me the independence to design the analysis and propose solutions.��

Kang develops data analysis skills during internship at the Broehl Law Office. Photo provided by subject.

LESSONS LEARNED��

Kang:��Through this fellowship, I learned how to conduct regression analysis in a small-sample environment using statistical corrections, how to design clear and persuasive visual storytelling for business audiences, and how to structure interviews to gain insight from professionals. I strengthened my ability to translate quantitative results into strategic recommendations and practiced tailoring communication for both technical and non-technical audiences. The abundance of skills I learned, alongside data interpretation, strategic communication, and stakeholder engagement are ones I expect to carry forward into a consulting and eventual law career.��

WHAT’S NEXT��

Kang: The internship helped me see that I��want��to pursue consulting after graduation, because I enjoyed the process of diagnosing a problem, analyzing it with evidence, and then creating solutions that could be implemented. It confirmed that economics provides me with the technical tools I need, while English gives me the communication ability to present findings effectively. While I had already been considering a consulting path, this experience showed me that I also want to integrate my long-term interest in law, since client-facing problem solving often intersects with legal and regulatory contexts. It has not changed my plans but has sharpened my vision of how consulting and law can be connected in my career trajectory.��

EMPOWERED INDEPENDENCE��

Kang:��I would add that one of the most valuable parts of the experience was the independence I had in shaping the project.��I produced an independent 28-page strategy report and presentation, which I delivered to��the��firm’s��leadership.��I��was responsible for��the analysis from start to finish, which meant that the final report and presentation truly reflected my own ideas and work.��That independence was challenging but also empowering, and it gave me the confidence to know that I can take on complex projects in the future.��

Featured image: Marine Kang ’26 completed a report focused on improving client retention during an internship at the Broehl Law Office. Photo provided by subject.

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“I had a lot of freedom with the painting and newsletter I worked on. It was nice to have my design and painting skills valued and trusted.”��

—Jensen Kugler ’27��

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES��

Kugler: I got this internship through networking with local connections in D.C. I knew about the APEX Micro Fellowship program because I received a Micro Fellowship last summer. I enjoyed that this was a hybrid position, so I did not have to commute into the city every day. I was given a lot of flexibility in terms of scheduling, which was very helpful.��

EMPOWERED INDEPENDENCE��

Kugler: The most engaging part of my internship experience was getting to create original visuals. I had a lot of freedom with the painting and newsletter I worked on. It was nice to have my design and painting skills valued and trusted. Most of my time as an intern was spent designing seals for the branches. I worked on sketches, mockups, and final concepts digitally. I met with branch chiefs regularly to discuss design choices.��

TAKING INITIATIVE��

Kugler: As an intern, I developed governmental seals for each branch within the Reentry Services Division of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, created original artwork for the Central Office, and redesigned the Reentry Newsletter.��

Kugler ’27 showcases her artwork alongside fellow colleagues at the Reentry Services Division of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Photo provided by subject.

GUIDANCE FOR GROWTH��

Kugler: My supervisor was administrator of the Community Reentry Affairs Branch, Samuel J. Hall. He set up meetings for me with the branch chiefs and helped me get situated in the office.��

LESSONS LEARNED��

Kugler: I was able to practice digital illustration and image editing, which are invaluable skills for creatives in this day and age. I also learned to accept and adapt to feedback while designing, which should help prepare me for commission work in the future.��

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE��

Kugler: This internship clued me in to the fact that cities are not the ideal setting for me. Unless I am particularly passionate about a position, I would prefer jobs located outside of major metro areas. I feel more comfortable in smaller, less hectic settings. That said, I have now worked in a city office, which proves to me that I am capable of doing so. If my dream job ends up being in a city, I now feel more confident in my ability to work in that setting.��

Featured image: Jensen Kugler ’27, photo provided by subject.

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