Miki N.

ACS Project SEED: Antimalarial drug research using computational chemistry

This summer for my Junior Fellowship Experience, I had the privilege to work with Dr. Neville
Forlemu at Georgia Gwinnett College through Project SEED to conduct research on possible
molecules called sulfonamides that could be further developed as new antimalarial drugs. The
goal for my research project was to determine which molecule would have the most potential as
a new antimalarial drug using molecular docking. One of my responsibilities was reading
literature about malaria and the structure of an enzyme found in the malarial parasite called
dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Through my background research, I studied the different
molecules I would be using in my research and how molecular docking is used in pharmaceutical
research. With this knowledge, I was tasked with using molecular docking software such as
AutoVina and Chimera to computationally model how ligands and receptors interact. With the
molecular docking software, I collected data on the binding affinities of the molecules to
determine which molecule binds best to the DHFR enzyme. I learned how to formally
communicate my results and data analysis through scholarly products such as a scientific paper
and poster. Through this internship, I gained experience in research and drug development.

Kazuki S.
Dual Enrollment Student at Gwinnett Technical College
I studied under professor Leonardo Villamil at Gwinnett Technical College. The class that I was
taking was designated CIST 1305 and its name is Program & Design. My responsibility was to
read the book called Starting Out with Programming Logic and Design and take notes on it. The
knowledge obtained would be used to complete assignments given to me by professor Villamil.
Assignments include making design documents and programs according to the problems shown
in the book. He would also assign quizzes and tests for me to finish every now and then. These
assessments tested us mostly on programming terminology with True or False questions and
sometimes made me write pseudo-code. I also had to attend a lecture every Thursday to review
over the material students cover in the book. I utilized Python 3.7, Flowgorithm, and Microsoft
Word to complete the assignments in the book. Python 3.7 was used to write programs.
Flowgorithm to make flowcharts, and Word to create design documents.

Vansh S.
Researching finance pertaining to clientele in the media and medical industries at ABAC
Consulting
This summer I had the opportunity to complete my internship at ABAC Consulting under my
mentor Ms. Bedi. I was the youngest of the interns she was hosting, so I had the least experience
in finance. While the rest of the interns were tasked with organizing spreadsheets and compiling
data into software. I spent my first two weeks shadowing Ms. Bedi and assisting her wherever
needed. As the internship progressed, I was assigned three main tasks; client communication,
data input, and organizing excel sheets. I handled the incoming calls from new and old clients,
answering any questions to the best of my abilities and getting back to them after I completed
researched on the topic. I also organized and compiled user data into an excel sheet which I then
transferred into a software called NetSuite. During the Last two weeks of my internship, my
mentor and I went to two programs in downtown Atlanta. The first program was related to the
media industry and the finance that is handled behind the scenes. The second program was
related to medicine. These last two weeks mainly utilized my soft skills through experiences with
money at the front desk. I dealt with doctors registering for the convention and handled all of the
cash transactions that took place.

Minseo C.
Internship at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center summer camp
This summer, I had the opportunity to work at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Centers
(GEHC) summer camp under the direction of my main mentor, Ms.Sandy. However, I worked
with a different lead counselor every week. During (the) first week of my internship, there was a
mandatory staff meeting where the interns were informed about safety procedures and camp
rules. In addition, they gave us a tour of the building and taught us how to handle uncooperative
kids. Once the summer camps started, my main task was to make sure the kids were safe at all
times. I was also responsible to make sure that the kids were respectful to another, the
environment, and the equipment. Working at the GEHC benefited me because it allowed me to
improve my communication and leadership skills. In addition, I was able to play games with the
kids, lead the hikes around the site and implement technology by programming software to the
LEGO EV3 robots in LEGO space camp. I enjoyed working at the GEHC summer camp and was
able to learn many useful skills.

Erin K.
Internship at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for a Research Project
My Junior Fellowship Experience took place at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine. The mentors that I worked with were Dr. Brian Matayoshi and Dr. Valerie Cadet. Dr.
Matayoshi is a professor under neuroscience and physiology. Dr. Cadet is a professor under
pathology and forensic science. The main responsibility that I had at my site was to research
more on the project that I had formed. My project was on the various nutrient compositions
within tea leaves. I spent most of my time at the research library within the school. However, I
also attended classes that were live labs and got to engage in quite a few. I encountered two
amazing and helpful graduate students, Michael Tucker and Jai Patel, who allowed me to
participate in their project and ask them questions. I learned techniques such as scanning cells
and micropipetting. One of the skills that I realized was crucial was precision. Everything in the
lab required extreme carefulness and precision. I saw that the students were precise in their
experiment which gave them great results. Overall, I had one of the most amazing experiences
that I could have. I met great people and learned various techniques that could help me in the
future. I would really like to continue on my project next year for my senior capstone experience.

Paul T.
Lilburn Family Eye Care
I worked at Lilburn Family Eye Care and my mentor was Dr Amin. My three main
responsibilities or duties were to help deal with patients, help at the front desk and manage and
market their social media. My soft skills of interpersonal communication have been greatly
improved especially in a professional medical work environment. Along with this, I have gained
a lot of experience of how to conduct business in the work place. A hard skill I have learned is
how to test patients on individual diseases and for their prescription using all the medical tools.
We used a variety of technology especially for testing individuals such as a tomometer or
phoropter. Additionally, I did utilize a computer a lot for the social media project as well as for
logging patient data and especially for the front desk where all the clinics data on patients and
their appointments and past history are. In conclusion, my Junior Fellowship Experience has
been positive and reinforced and taught me both soft and hard skills as well as prepared me
better for a future career that is in a professional environment.

Angie Z.
Internship at the Gwinnett Medical Center
For my internship, I worked with Ms. Angela Hamlet at The Gwinnett Medical Center. There, I
worked at four different facilities at the hospital. These four facilities includes the VOC
(Volunteer on Call), GECC (Gwinnett Extended Care Center), Cancer Care, and Pre-Op.
Depending on which facility I’m working on that day, my responsibilities and tasks differed.
However, despite whichever location I was placed each day, I have two primary duties that I am
responsible for at my Junior Fellowship Experience. For example, it is my responsibility every
day to discharge patients,who are ready to leave the hospital that day, with a wheelchair. I am
also in charge of cleaning of patient rooms and the hospital equipment. This experience also
taught me to become more independent because when working at GECC, I had to execute all the
activities alone as my mentor at the GECC is on surgical leave. During this whole experience, I
utilized the wheelchair the most as it is needed to transport patients safely to their destination.
Furthermore, I gained valuable experience from working at my Junior Fellowship Experience
site as it gave me the opportunity to have experience in the medical field, which helped me
finalize my decision of continuing my education in the medical direction.

Amy H.
Experience at Tri-County Internal Medicine
During my time at Tri-County Internal Medicine, I was able to experience multiple things from
my mentor, Dr. Robert T Dambach. Dr. Dambach has been providing service to the Sugarhill
area for three decades as he specializes in internal medicine. Throughout my internship, I was
able to learn multiple things such as using an electrocardiography, checking blood pressure,
oxygen levels and temperature under supervision of medical assistants.Additionally, when
shadowing Dr. Dambach, I was able to watch him diagnosis patients with injuries or illnesses
and be in the X-Ray room when the results came through which allowed me to gain a fuller
experience at what working in a medical clinic would be like. With multiple staff at the clinic,
maintaining strong communication skills and time management are critical as there may be
severe injuries that need to be tended in a limited time slot. In rush hour, communication is
urgent as we don’t want to overbook the rooms we have which may lead to other issues. In
conclusion, my experience at Tri-County Internal medicine provided excellent insight on my
career choice in the medical field and allowed me to have a deeper glance to ensure this is what I
want to pursue.

Cristina S.
Emory University Hospital Midtown Junior Fellowship Experience Abstract
I conducted my Junior Fellowship Experience while volunteering at Emory University Hospital
Midtown as a part of the Volunteen recruiting program under Tracy Russell-Gonzalez. I was
assigned to assist in Guest Services, the Emergency Department, and providing patients with
reading materials. My responsibilities consisted of escorting patients to medical offices,
transporting the census, shredding, printing, filing patient files and labels, creating binders
stacked with nursing information for the new residents, and providing reading materials. My
experience has improved my communication skills, comprehension, and professionalism with
my mentor and co-workers. Correspondingly, I learned to maneuver around patient floors, use
precautions on patient rooms labeled with uncommon signs, know offices/rooms locations, and
print and group corresponding paperwork. It was significant to maintain patient confidentiality
and good hygiene. Despite my positions being primarily physical contact, I did come in frequent
contact with the office shredder, the patient filing box, and requiring to scan my badge with the
badge-scanner for acute rooms. Being my first experience at a hospital, this internship has
developed my skills of working under stress and flexibility. I am very grateful for this
opportunity and am looking into more research-based medical internships for my Senior
Capstone Experience.

Claire S.
pH Effects on the Mutant D-Arginine Dehydrogenase (E246L) from Pseudomonas
aeruginosa in the Catch Them Young Program at Georgia State University
I spent my internship working at the Natural Science Center, a laboratory facility maintained by
Georgia State University. I worked under my mentor, Joanna Quaye, and the Principal
Investigator, Dr. Giovanni Gadda. I completed several online trainings to refamiliarize myself
with biohazard protocol and gain access to the lab equipment. The program also organized
Lunch and Learn events weekly at which various guest speakers lectured on science-related
topics. I was responsible for working on my experiment throughout the day to obtain reliable
data in a timely manner. I primarily worked with a Clark-type oxygen electrode to measure the
apparent steady-state kinetic parameters of the PaDADH enzyme. In addition to creating a poster
presentation for a project showcase, I was asked to give a fifteen minute lecture on findings. My
research and data will also be published in a scientific journal, as I have written significant
sections of the paper that address my pH profiles. My time in the lab only confirmed my passion
for science and research. However, I realized I want to pursue a career in clinical research rather
than basic research. I have greatly enjoyed my time in the lab, and I plan to remain in the
Biochemistry field for future studies.

Jennifer O.
Summer Camp Counselor
For my Summer Junior Fellowship Experience, I worked at the Gwinnett Environmental and
Heritage Center (GEHC) as a camp counselor. My Mentors were Ms. Wendy Seigler and Ms.
Sandy Aceto. Before camp began all the volunteers and new staff had to attend a training session
to prepare for the summer. As a camp Counselor, my primary responsibilities included assisting
the main teacher/counselor with the camp activities each week. Every week there was a different
camp with a different set of kids. Depending on the camp I had different things to do each day.
However, a few things stayed consistent day to day at camp. I was responsible for making sure
campers were safe and all together during hikes, ensure that all campers are on task with the
activities, and help the campers play nicely with one another. I also helped with aftercare, where
any campers who were got picked up after 3:00pm stayed. My main goal, however, was to make
sure that the campers had fun and learned about nature. Through this experience I learned a lot
about being in a real workplace and how my efforts affect other working professionals. I hope to
come back to the GEHC and work there again next summer.
 Ishani C.
Emory University Hospital Midtown: Inside a Hospital
This summer, I completed my Junior Fellowship Experience(JFE) at Emory University Hospital
Midtown through the Emory Volunteen Program under Tracy Russell Gonzalez. I was assigned
to three departments to assist in: Wound and Hyperbaric, Nursing Station 61, and Food and
Nutrition. My responsibilities primarily consisted of filing patient papers, communicating patient
concerns to the appropriate nurse or tech, and making and serving food. During this experience, I
was able to develop communication skills by talking to patients and my coworkers in a
professional and respectful manner. Additionally, I was able to learn how to answer, transfer, and
hold calls; I properly organized papers and learned the importance of patient confidentiality. In
order to complete my tasks, I was required to use a pneumatic tube system to transport messages
and small objects from one department to another, a large scale office shredder, and a patient call
receiver. My JFE was my first opportunity to work in a hospital environment and it has provided
me with skills that will aid me both in my professional career and in pursuing a medical pathway.

Simren B.
Miles of Smiles
This summer, I interned at Southern Family Dental Care where my mentor was Dr. Clint
Baugham. My primary responsibilities included filing patient paperwork, assisting with any
office work such as shredding, organizing, or mailing letters, and observing patient procedures.
While observing procedures, I occasionally got to assist if the patient needed an X-ray, and I
learned about the various techniques used for each procedure; I observed many dental operations,
such as cavity fillings, root canals, crown procedures, and even a sedation procedure.
Additionally, I also learned how to clean dental instruments and what the purpose of each
instrument is. Through my internship experience, I improved my professional communication
skills, as I interacted with both patients and staff at the office. I also got better with my time
management skills, since I had to learn how to balance both my internship and other
commitments I had during the summer. Ultimately, my internship experience at Southern Family
Dental Care was very rewarding and a wonderful learning experience, because I not only have a
better idea of my future career, but I also gained many important skills that will aid me in my
future.

Callie D.B.
Emory’s Liang Laboratory
I worked in the Liang Laboratory at Emory University in a research-based internship this
summer under Dr. Liang, Dr. Gao, and Ms. Cook. I focused on cell culturing (growing colonies
of E. coli), harvesting cells (breaking apart the cell), and protein purification (isolating the
protein). Through this internship, I gained a lot of experience presenting through journal club
where I explained a scientific article relating to work in the lab, as well as weekly meetings. I
learned more about electron microscopy through lab lectures and hands-on experience. I even got
to complete analysis of an entire data set of cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) images
using Relion and Linux software. I also learned how to use Southeast Regional Collaborative
Access Team software (SER-CAT) to take crystallography diffraction images from Argonne
National Laboratory. Before the experience, I underwent special safety training at the Emory
Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO) followed by about a week of general training in
the lab on the different machines and equipment used. I thank the lab members for cultivating
such a great learning environment. I have come back from this experience with more knowledge
which will help me decide on a future career.

Naman S.
Internship Experience at Magnolia Medical Clinic
I worked at Magnolia Medical Clinic under my mentor, Dr. Suresh Shah. Some of my primary
duties and responsibilities included taking vital sign measurements on patients (e.g. heart rate,
blood pressure, temperature, etc.), keeping patient traffic flowing through the clinic, and
updating patient records online. One major learning outcome of this internship for me was that I
got to practice my foreign language speaking skills. When Spanish and Gujarati speaking
patients came into the clinic, the opportunity served as a great way for me to not only practice
my fluency but also make the patients feel more comfortable at the clinic. For the most part, I
worked with a Welch Allyn Vital Signs machine that records blood pressure, temperature, and
heart rate; a basic height and weight scale; and a desktop computer. My first day at my internship
was like a training day and I started by observing one of the employees take vitals, and over
time, as I learned, I was able to take vitals without any additional assistance. This internship has
proven to be a great learning experience for me and has increased my interest in practicing
medicine in the future.

Athena C.
Shadowing a Self-Starter Attorney
I had the pleasure of working at JJ Law Firm with my mentor Jae Kim for my Junior Fellowship
Experience. At this internship, my three primary responsibilities consisted of organizing files,
picking up phone calls, and handling the documents of any new cases I received that day.
Through these responsibilities, I learned hard skills such as the ability to use e-filing programs
and improving my critical writing skills through tasks such as scanning and filing documents and
writing documents for my mentor. On the other hand, I gained soft skills such as being detail-
oriented and working efficiently through the same everyday tasks. Not only did all of these skills
help me as an intern at my law firm, but I was also able to apply these skills to my everyday life
such as my improved ability in speaking Korean, especially in a professional setting. By
shadowing my mentor, I was able to become a more competent intern for future experiences such
as my Senior Capstone Experience and realize more about myself and my prospects.

Arjun G.
Shadowing a Family Practice Physician at Georgia Clinic
For my summer Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE), I interned at Georgia Clinic, a primary care
clinic, shadowing Family practice physician Dr. Rekha Singh. My primary responsibility was
observing Dr. Singh interact with patients to learn how to efficiently interact and diagnose the
patient. After watching each patient interaction, I wrote the patient notes and prepared the
prescriptions for the doctor to sign and give to the patient. Additionally, I triaged the patient,
which includes checking the vital signs, asking the reason of visit, and directing the patient to
their room where the doctor will see them. My final responsibility was to learn and assist the
nurse practitioners in the procedures that are done in a primary care clinic such as
electrocardiograms, bloodwork, and urine analysis. After initially watching the nurse
practitioners do these procedures, I learned these procedures and assisted the nurse practitioners
or perform these procedures by myself. Throughout this internship, I developed my
communication and interpersonal skills. I have also gained insight into the medical field and
confirmed my prior strong interest in medicine. Overall, my summer JFE experience at Georgia
Clinic was captivating and insightful.

Shana O.
Research and Experiments at PCOM
I had the privilege of completing my internship at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine (PCOM) Georgia Campus, where I worked under my mentor Dr. Brian Matayoshi.
With another intern, we formalized an experiment through extensive research, used PCOM’s
database to do our research and developed an outline for the experiment. With the help of a lab
technician, I participated in a Western Blot lab (protein sequence detector). I learned how to
create the gel. Once the proteins ran through the gel, we assessed the sequence the proteins left
behind. I shadowed a group of graduate students. They did an experiment on
immunofluorescence staining (visualizes protein expressions in cells) and a cytotoxicity assay
(tests the therapeutic efficacy of a given cytotoxic agent on breast cancer cells). We examined
the findings in both experiments. Before I started this internship, I attended a lab safety class. I
also had to take a CITI program test (an online training program designed to educate faculty and
students about issues involving human subject research) to do my experiment. I learned many
things through this internship, and I hope to be able to do it again next year.

Barbara G.
Job-shadowing at Appletree Pediatric Dentistry
My Junior Fellowship Experience was a job-shadowing at Appletree Pediatric Dentistry, and I
interned under Dr. Jeni Kong. While at Appletree I learned about medicine, pediatrics, dentistry,
and social interaction. I was expected to clean up in between patients, which taught me the
importance of balancing thoroughness and speed, while also remaining calm when I had a lot of
pressure surrounding my duties. I also was able to refine my critical thinking skills through
being given various orders with little direction and background information, but having an
expected time limit. I would have to find things or sort tools that I was not sure about and
because of this I learned terminology and knowledge on what tools or technology were used for.
I was allowed to pull up basic information as well as take notes on Macpractice, and I did use
some tools such as the suction or passed the mirrors and gauze. I also learned that I enjoyed
many aspects of the medical field like the fast pace, and pediatrics as well. Overall, I learned that
I would love to delve deeper into the medical field during my Senior Capstone Experience.

Maria N.
Summer Camp Leadership at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
Over the summer, I interned as a camp counselor at the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage
Center (GEHC) where I shadowed my mentors, Wendy Seigler and Sandy Aceto. Before the
camps began, I attended a training session where I learned the rules, procedures, and layout of
the GEHC. During my internship, I was responsible for organizing the materials needed before
camp, supervising the campers during each activity, and assisting with dismissal and AfterCare.
Each week, I worked with different lead teachers, staff members, and volunteers depending on
what camp I was assigned to, allowing me to learn from a variety of people. This internship was
extremely rewarding because I was able to improve my leadership and communication skills in
an environment different from school. I also gained more experience working with microscopes
and other science practices during my first camp, Girls in Science. To focus on nature, some of
the camps did not require the use of technology, but during the Sphero Hero camp, I set up and
taught the campers how to use the Spheros and iPads. I am extremely grateful for this internship
because I learned that I would like to work with more children in the future as well as pursue a
career involving interpersonal communication.

Milan N.
Increased Organoid Nutrition using Threonine-Proline-Glycine (TPG) as a dynamic
Collagen Analouge
This summer I worked at the Department of Chemistry Labs at Emory University this summer
for my Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE). My mentor was Dr. David Lynn, a well-known
professor at Emory who previously taught at Duke University. As part of a college-level research
project, one of my biggest responsibilities was thinking outside the box when experimentation
failed. A researcher should always be prepared if something goes wrong during the procedure;
using background knowledge and experience are two important aspects that one should use if
one faces an unexpected situation. Another responsibility that I had was to document every
measurement, observation, and step during research. Lastly, I had to make sure that every
chemical, container, and device was properly cleaned and stored off until it was used again.
Throughout my internship, I used different mass spectroscopy machines such as H1-Nuclear
Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Matrix-Assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), Thin Layer
Chromatography (TLC), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and more. Before I
could enter the Emory labs, however, I had to take and pass a lab safety course provided by
Emory. In conclusion, my journey through my JFE has taught me so much the STEM field, my
passions, and has opened many doors for my Senior Capstone Experience (SCE) and my future
career in medical research.

Cecilia R.
Helping Patients Recover from Injuries at the Atlanta Rehabilitation & Performance
Center
I worked at the Atlanta Rehabilitation & Performance Center and my mentor was Kelsi Norton.
A few of my responsibilities were to call patients to the room, start them on the bike and set their
level, and communicate any updates about the patient to my mentor. Another responsibility I had
was to prepare and replace hot packs and ice packs for the patients. I was also tasked to help
patients with their exercises by correcting their form, putting equipment back, and demonstrating
exercises. I learned that communication is important between patients and physical therapists.
Patients must be able to tell their therapists of any pains, so therapists can target those pains
directly. I prepared various exercises for patients using Theraband resistance bands, step stairs,
weight machines, exercise balls, sliders, ankle and arm weights, hand putty, and physical therapy
hand exercisers. I had a pleasant experience at Atlanta Rehab because it showed me how
rewarding it is to help someone do their day-to-day tasks again after an injury. This experience
has solidified my interest in physical therapy but has also expanded my interest in working with
athletic patients more in sports medicine.
 Ashley N.
Exploring Medicine Through Clinic and Research Lab Shadowing Internships
This summer, I had the opportunity to complete two shadowing internships within different areas
of the medical field. My first internship was completed at the Primary Care Center of Georgia
under Dr. Riaz A. Syed. My main responsibility there was completing front office tasks such as
organizing and filing patient charts. I also shadowed Dr. Syed and the nurses as they completed
patient consultations, ran medical tests, and administered injections. Through these tasks, I
learned more about clinic administration and typical medical procedures as well as the
importance of persistence and a growth mindset. My second internship was under Dr. Srujana
Rayalam of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine (PCOM). During this internship, my responsibilities included writing summaries of
research articles Dr. Rayalam assigned to me to help me understand current research in the lab.
Within the labs, my responsibility was to shadow medical students completing experiments
regarding potential therapies to obesity and osteoporosis. By observing and asking questions, I
learned different research techniques as well as more about cell cultures. These internships
allowed me to explore different areas of medicine as I formulate an idea of what career I would
like to pursue; I would be grateful to complete a similar internship for my Senior Capstone
Experience.

Erica L.
Studying the Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus by
Performing Miniprep and Picking Particles
I had a research-based internship at the Liang Laboratory located at the O. Wayne Rollins
Research Center, working under Dr. Liang and Dr. Cao. My main responsibilities at the
laboratory were to pick Large polymerase and Phosphoprotein particles from cryogenic electron
microscopy micrographs (taken at cryogenic temperatures where molecular motion is as slow as
possible) using the RELION software while also shadowing and assisting undergraduate interns
to perform procedures related to molecular cloning using equipment such as thermal cyclers and
nanodrop machines. I was given laboratory training the first week and was also given four
special events to give breaks from work throughout my seven weeks there. I learned that a
laboratory job does not always focus on doing hands-on work; it also heavily focuses on data
analysis and computer office-style work. I learned to keep an organized track of my daily work
to easily write weekly reports to deliver by specific deadlines, which also helped me follow hard,
weekly deadlines. This internship has helped me learn professional laboratory procedures, skills,
and safety that I will be able to apply in the future. It helped me want to continue doing
laboratory work and consider it as a future career.

Shanzeh A.
Shadowing Cancer Genomics at Aeon Global Health
I conducted my Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE) at Aeon Global Health under the
supervision of Katie Ponder, Ph.D., my mentor. Along with my mentor, I also worked with three
other lab technicians who instructed me and helped me daily. I frequently shadowed them as they
performed each process, and I applied a wealth of information from my Biology course into the
actual processes. I acquired the task to prepare well-plates for the DNA extraction process, which
included organizing and cutting the swabs into their respective placements so that the DNA
could be extracted from the actual swab. Additionally, the lab technicians often relied on me to
open, label, and organize their materials and equipment so that they could save time in the
overall workflow. My work in the lab enabled me to use various technologies and software, such
as the Bravo pipetting robot, the DNA Mysequencer, and qubit technology which read the
concentrations of each DNA sample. While working in a professional setting, I improved my
communication skills, and I learned how to articulate my thoughts in a comprehensive manner.
Overall, I had an immensely knowledgeable experience in the genetics field, and I would
definitely love to continue studying the field.

Jason J.
Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose-Based and Polyacrylamide-Based Hydrogels
My internship experience at Georgia Gwinnett College with Dr. Seungjin Lee consisted of
chemical research concerning hydrogels, a type of hydrophilic, polymer-based substance
distinguished by high absorbance properties (referred to as swelling for liquids and adsorption
for dissolved chemicals). Dr. Lee’s previous research resulted in the synthesis of two types of
hydrogels, one cellulose-based gel (was more mechanically stable) and one acrylamide-based gel
(had higher swelling capacity). Therefore, my team focused on synthesizing a third gel that could
match both the cellulose-based gel’s mechanical stability and the acrylamide-based gel’s
swelling capacity. Much of our time was spent performing literature reviews on other
researchers’ efforts in gel synthesis, and based on the ideas presented by those researchers, we
planned and executed our own synthesis process for a hybrid hydrogel containing both cellulose
and acrylamide, using liquid nitrogen to speed up gel freezing and thus improving the
mechanical stability of the final gel. Additionally, we participated in training for and later
operated the Total Organic Carbon/Total Nitrogen analyzer (TOC/TN), which we used to test for
gel adsorption capacity. Other tasks performed included cleaning glassware, preparing solutions,
conducting tests for swelling capacity, and completing progress reports assigned by Dr. Lee.
From my internship, I gained enough experience to confirm my career choice as a biochemistry
researcher and will continue pursuing research opportunities for future science fairs and my
Senior Capstone Experience.

Akash P.
Cardiovascular Group Internship
This summer I had my summer Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE) completed at Cardiovascular
Group, a cardiology clinic in Lawrenceville. For the experience, my mentor was Jillian Boyd,
and I shadowed different departments, including cardiologists doing check-ups and radiology
running imaging tests. In addition to the clinic, I was allowed by a cardiologist to shadow him in
the hospital for one of the days of the internship. During my JFE, I learned the importance of
skills such as how to communicate effectively as well as the benefits of communication in
medicine. Another skill I learned was problem solving in high pressure situations. If a patient is
having a heart attack, it is important to stay calm and talk to your colleagues about possible
solutions. During the internship I also learned skills specific to medicine such as how to talk to
patients and knowledge about cardiology. The equipment used was mostly medical equipment
such as Electro Cardiogram (EKG) machines, blood pressure monitor. The software used was
mostly used to document patients and hold all documents and tests in one place. By and large,
my JFE was very enriching and solidified my interest in a future in medicine.
 Elizabeth Y.
Internship at Sugar Hill Animal Hospital
This past summer, I interned at the Sugarhill Animal Hospital located in Sugarhill, Georgia. My
mentor was Ms.Wendi, the head of the Boy Scouts of America Explorer Program who helped
make my internship possible. At the start of the internship, I had a training session in which I
learned who I would shadow, procedures I should follow in a sanitary environment, and how to
perform heartworm and fecal tests. I strengthened and developed a multitude of soft skills
including communication skills, initiative, and adaptability. The animal hospital there were often
emergency visits where the pet was in a life-threatening situation. At these times, there is not a
set schedule and as a result, you have to effectively communicate and adapt to the situation at
hand in a calm, professional manner. At my internship, my main primary responsibilities are to
shadow surgeons into their surgeries, assist with checkups, and help with heartworm and fecal
tests. I learned how to use numerous technologies such as heartworm antigen test kits and
centrifuges. My experience at the Sugarhill Animal Hospital has been phenomenal and I am
grateful for getting a chance to take advantage of an incredible internship to develop skills I will
utilize in the future.

Rehal B.
DNA Sequencing and Analysis at Georgia Gwinnett College
During the summer of 2019, I interned in the biology labs at the Georgia Gwinnett College with
Dr. James Russell on a research based project about gene flow across a continental divide that
goes through Georgia. My first responsibilities were to extract DNA and create DNA samples of
the different fish species our project was based on. I then used the DNA samples I created and
the previously made DNA samples to run a polymerase chain reaction and then I would run a gel
electrophoresis to see the relatedness of the different fish we were testing. After testing about 36
different DNA samples I was able to create a phylogenetic tree which will help prove the
hypothesis of our research project which is that genetic differences will occur on either side of
the divide. I used different computer softwares known as MEGA7 and Chromas to help create
the phylogenetic tree and fix errors in DNA sequence data. Throughout this experience I learned
to communicate and work better with others and I gained knowledge in the field of genetics
which will help me pursue my goal of being a researcher/physician.

Akshay K.
My Junior Fellowship Experience with the Cardiovascular Group
I had the privilege of shadowing Dr. Salil Patel at the Cardiovascular Group. One of my duties
included shadowing Dr. Patel and other cardiologists in the examination room, where I learned
how a physician elicits pertinent medical history from patients and examines them to arrive at a
clinical diagnosis. Furthermore, I observed and interacted with technicians working in the Stress
and echocardiogram labs to understand how ultrasound cameras are used to study the structure
and function of a patient’s heart and how these results facilitated the physicians in their
diagnosis. Through keen observations, I gained communication skills, critical thinking skills, and
the ability to measure patient vital signs. Finally, I learned about the business side of medicine by
shadowing directly under the practice manager and staff involved in the management of the
clinic’s Electronic Medical Records. My responsibility during this time was to find missing
information in patient records, by using the Global Electronic Medical Management Systems
(GEMMS) software on a corporate laptop used for medical documentation. Overall, this was a
rewarding experience as an aspiring premedical student and opened my eyes to the vast
challenges that lay ahead.

Shirley H.
Teaching in Nepal with SKA Academy of Art & Design
I worked in Nepal with SKA Academy of Art & Design where we taught students many different
subjects including English, Art, and Physical Education at International Bodhisattva Sangha
(IBS). My mentor was Leng Kar Chang, the principle of SKA Academy. My most important
duty was to make sure that the students would improve at the end of the classes and make sure
that they understand the material including English and Art. I also had to make sure the students
were being taught in a unique way according to the wishes of the master of the monastery. I also
needed to prepare class materials each night before the next day and plan out activities and plan
according to their level. I brought my personal laptop that I used every day for my class to look
back at my lesson plans that I would plan with detail the night before. I was able to attend one of
the master’s classes and learn how he taught and disciplined the students. I realized for my
Senior Capstone Experience (SCE), I would prefer creating my own personal art instead of
teaching it. Therefore, for my SCE I plan to create an AP art portfolio instead of teaching.

Nneka I.
My Avian Ecology Study Internship at Georgia Gwinnett College
For my internship, I worked on an avian ecology study conducted in three locations: Collins Hill
park, Harbins park, and Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). At these locations, GGC professors
used the bird banding/mark and recapture method to assess the effect of urbanization on avian
diversity. My mentor was professor Maria Fernandez, and she teaches biology and conservation
at Georgia Gwinnett College. During the internship, I had to attend field work at the park, assist
with the bird banding process, and conduct literature research and data analysis. At GGC,
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines were used to extract DNA from bird feathers, and I
used Microsoft Excel for the data analysis process. I was able to gain self-management and
research skills as I progressed through the internship. Overall, I had a great learning experience
during my Junior Fellowship Experience and I hope to apply what I learned to achieve my future
goals.

Nithin N.
Drug Delivery of Naringenin to adipocytes using Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron
Oxide Nanoparticles
For my Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE), I interned at the Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). My mentor during this time was Dr. Vicky Mody, an associate
professor in the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. My primary activity during this
internship was to conduct research on one of Dr. Mody’s previous research projects regarding
nanoparticles and their ability to reduce obesity. Through this, I definitely improved was my
ability to communicate with adults and colleagues in a professional work environment as I had to
confer with many graduate students and professors. One lesson I learned from my time doing
research was that results rarely show up on the first attempt and it takes perseverance to continue
when it gets tough. During my time, I also learned how to operate many different devices and
machinery in a real research lab such as centrifuges, sonicators, while also using programs like
excel and Microsoft word for reports. I attended an orientation session my first day at PCOM and
will be attending the South Eastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society
(SERMACS) in Savannah, GA to present my research findings on this project.

Avyesh K.
Shadowing an Oral Surgeon at Oral and Facial Surgery Associates
My summer Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE) revolved around shadowing oral and
maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Sandeep Pathak at Oral and Facial Surgery Associates. My primary
responsibility was to observe my mentor as he worked on a case, learning surgical procedures
and understanding the purpose of each tool and anesthesia medication. After initial observation
and asking questions, I began to assist with certain wisdom teeth surgeries by removing blood
with a suction pipe and providing irrigation with a syringe when my mentor used a dental drill.
After a case, I researched oral anatomy and pathology with my mentor’s textbooks (another of
my responsibilities). Through both the surgical experience and independent study, I gained
anatomical knowledge of the mouth and a biochemical understanding of the medications
administered during surgery (such as propofol and lidocaine). My last responsibility included
accompanying my mentor to patient consultations. From these patient interactions, I gained
interpersonal skills and gained insight on how to effectively question a patient to diagnose their
problem efficiently. My internship at Oral and Facial Surgery Associates was engaging,
illuminating, and unique, and it has led me to potentially seek a career in the medical field.

Rachel K.
Camp Counselor at The Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center
My internship took place at The Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center with Ms. Wendy and
Ms. Sandy as the site coordinators along with mentors for several camps. As a camp counselor, I
had the responsibility of helping to set up the classroom before and after the campers were there
and to provide the demands for my mentors. My primary duties at each camp were to assist and
often lead in events that go along with the theme of each camp, such as spheros and bugs. Often
times, I would be given the opportunity to suggest ideas towards activities and the plans of the
camp to the mentors. From the experience of being a camp counselor, I learned behaviors and
characteristics of different age groups and proper attitude towards them. Before participating in
the camps, I attended a training session that explained how the camps are run and introduced the
mentors and the facility to familiarize the camp. Through this internship, I learned more about
the ways in teaching children and it allowed me to look forward to working with children in the
future.

Timothy H.
Coaching USA National Team Athletes and Leading Marketing at Kim’s K Taekwondo
I had the opportunity to complete my Junior Fellowship Experience as a student coach and
marketing director at Kim’s K Taekwondo located in Duluth, Georgia. My mentor was Master
Sungjin Kim, an internationally recognized instructor. My primary responsibilities focused on
training athletes, establishing media platforms, and graphic designing. As a student coach, I
practiced social skills by interacting with varying age groups including students, parents, and
coworkers. This position has also allowed me to participate and prepare students to compete in
numerous competitions: South Eastern Conference Championship, USA Taekwondo Nationals,
Panamerican Open, and Panamerican Championships. As the marketing director, I have acquired
vast knowledge in digital editing by designing merchandise, creating logos, and developing
videos through various software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere pro, Apple Final Cut, and
Canva.com. I have also gained experience in marketing and advertising by developing the new K
Taekwondo website and establishing social media platforms that have literally attracted athletes
around the globe. Overall, it has been an exciting and enriching experience.

Amaal A.
Emory University School of Medicine Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology
I conducted my summer Junior Fellowship Experience at the Emory University School of
Medicine in the Rollins Research Center. My mentors, Dr. Liang and Dr. Cao, led subgroup
meetings, provided feedback regarding laboratory work, and assisted with lab processes. As a
high school intern, I initially performed laboratory-based work including making media to
culture cells and picking E. coli clones; however, I transitioned to more computer-based work
centered around picking protein particles from a data set of images. The Cryo-Electron
Microscopy images were obtained from an Electron Microscopy Microscope for later analysis
using the RELION program, a Linux-based software that allows the user to analyze Cryo-EM
images for various molecular structures. In terms of “hard” skills, I learned about many lab
processes including PCR, gel extraction, and miniprep as well as how to properly use lab
equipment such as the nanodrop and Optical Density spectrometer. In terms of “soft” skills, I
developed my communication skills when relaying information to my mentor. I developed my
presentation skills due to our weekly report and 30-minute journal presentation. I believe the
lessons I have learned, the people I have met, and the internship I had the honor of experiencing
will manifest in my future work.

Fidel A.
Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center Camp Internship
During the summer, I interned at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage center. At the center,
I technically had two mentors, Mrs. Sandy and Mrs. Wendy, and they trusted me to be
independent throughout the internship with minimal contact because they had to manage over the
yearly summer camp. During the various camps that differ from one week to another, I mainly
helped with the various head staff members. The help mainly included me assisting in crafts,
helping maintain control of the kids, and I also looked over the kids during our daily hikes. I
would occasionally play games such as chess or battleship to entertain the kids when they were
bored or scared about a certain activity. Most of the things that I worked with at the camp were
arts and crafts and nature; however, we sometimes used computers in the LEGO camp for
programming. Before I could start the internship, I had an orientation to learn the rules on how to
watch the kids and what is and isn’t appropriate. I also worked with volunteers, other interns, and
staff members. Throughout the internship, I enjoyed my time working and building professional
and personal relationships, and I really enjoyed interacting with the kids.

Suhas G.
Overseeing the Development of Cancer Vaccines at Emory University
During the summer, I had my internship at Emory university within the Woodruff Research
Center in the Department of Pathology where I primarily shadowed Dr. Bommireddy and his
partners. Dr. Bommireddy and his staff primarily specialize in developing vaccines that inhibit
the growth of tumors. Due to my age, I primarily shadowed other workers for safety reasons.
However, this didn’t stop me from completing smaller tasks such as cell counting. In terms of
shadowing, I oversaw many experimental methods that relate to the development of cancer
vaccines such as protein transfer and cell culture. I also read scientific papers so I could better
understand the type of work that we were doing. Throughout my internship, I have learned how
to operate a variety of tools such as pipettors and centrifuges, gained knowledge about cancer
vaccine development and the experimental methods involved, and learned general background
information about the medical field as a whole. All in all, I enjoyed my internship. However, for
my Senior Capstone Experience, I would prefer to complete my internship in a more medical
based environment rather than a research based one since that field interests me more.

Anesh K.
Spectrum Autism Support Group Internship Abstract
For my internship, I worked at the Spectrum Autism Support Group. This is a non-profit
organization that provides support, education, and resources for individuals and families
impacted by autism. I worked at one of their summer day camps for four weeks. My mentors
were Ms. Claire and Ms. Kathy. Ms. Claire is the executive director at Spectrum and she mainly
tasked me with taking pictures and making a video while I was working at their camp. Ms. Kathy
is a teacher and a paraprofessional at the camp. From watching her, I learned how to deal and
interact with the kids. One main task was to watch over and play with the kids to make sure the
kids were having an enjoyable time at camp and that there was no trouble going on. Another task
was taking photos throughout the weeks. My most significant task was making a video to show
highlights of what it was like to be at their camps. The equipment I used was my sister’s Canon
camera, I used Photoshop to edit the photos, and Premiere Pro to edit the video. Overall, it was a
unique experience where I got to learn a lot about autism.

Kirat V.
Internship at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
This summer I worked at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (GEHC) as a camp
counselor. I worked under Mrs. Wendy Seigler, who is the Program Coordinator at the GEHC.
As a camp counselor I was responsible for supervising the campers in the various activities that
they participated in throughout the day, organizing supplies for the various activities and also
formulating ways to teach the campers the camp topic. As a counselor, I was to present myself as
a role model for the campers, which means I was expected to be on my best behavior. For this
internship, all the camp counselors had to attend an orientation that highlighted the
responsibilities, behavior expectations, and safety guidelines. A summer camp is a great
opportunity for campers and counselors to learn and I hope to utilize the skills and knowledge I
gained from this internship in my future endeavors in school, Senior Capstone Experience, post-
secondary education and outside in the real world.

Liam R.
Hydrogel Research at Georgia Gwinnett College
For my Junior Fellowship Experience, I had a chemical research internship at Georgia Gwinnett
College (GGC) under the mentorship of Dr. Seungjin Lee, where I was studying hydrogels.
Hydrogels are chemicals made of cross-linked polymers that can adsorb and release water, along
with other nutrients. We were trying to maximize the swelling, absorbency and release rate of
hydrogels with urea. My primary job during this internship was making and then testing
hydrogels, and doing computer research about hydrogels. We were trying to apply a mesh to the
hydrogel, which would increase the porosity of the hydrogel, and we also successfully
synthesized a “hybrid” hydrogel made of two different polymers, cellulose and acrylamide. To
measure the adsorption and desorption of the hydrogels, we used a TOC-TN machine, which
stands for Total Organic Carbon-Total Nitrogen. It measures the amount of nitrogen released
from the hydrogel as urea. I also attended a seminar by Anthony Rojas, a former GGC student
who also went to the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. He talked about his life and the chemistry that he was doing currently. Overall, I
think I had a good experience and that I learned a lot.

Tyler M.
Attending the Summer Math And Science Honors Academy at Morehouse College
At the Summer Math And Science Honors Academy (SMASH Academy), I was on the
Morehouse College campus conducting a project with two other scholars. We worked in many
classroom spaces and in our dorms as well. My mentor, Dr. Brian Garrett, assisted a multitude
of students in the program with their projects and any personal situations. In the program, I had
to ensure I was an effective leader with my fellow scholars, indirectly and directly, especially
during project work time or when we were in class. It was harder to have a continuous and
smooth process with the project when the plans referring to the partners are not communicated
properly. Though, with the given computers, small cutting tools, and the usual school supplies,
my partners and I were able to construct a well-performed presentation. Throughout the program,
we had many workshops that made us reflect on our daily lives and how to improve it. The
program had events like “Speaker Series” and “Networking Nights” that allowed us to talk to
business people about the STEM world. Being a scholar at SMASH brought an understanding of
what’s to come and how to prepare.

Jehan S.
Project SEED Water Quality Chemical and Microbial Research
I had the privilege to intern under ACS Project SEED at Georgia Gwinnett College and work
with my mentors, Dr. Thomas Gluick and Dr. Rashad Simmons. For my research, I collected
water samples every week from Shoals Creek upstream and downstream sites at the
Lawrenceville City Lake as well as two sites from the Yellow River to analyze microbial growth,
nitrate, phosphate, non-purgeable organic carbon, and total nitrogen concentrations. For the
microbial analysis, I performed Most Probable Number (MPN) assays to determine the relative
concentrations of viable microorganisms. I also spread random samples on petri dishes which
often resulted in green metallic growth, indicating the presence of E. Coli in the water. To find
the relative nitrate and phosphate concentrations in the water samples, I performed experiments
that produced colored dyes to be measured in a UV-Vis spectrometer and compared to a standard
curve. Furthermore, I used High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to find the
relative concentration of nitrate in the samples according to average peak area. Lastly, I used the
Shimadzu Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzer machine, which auto calculated the total
nitrogen and non-purgeable organic carbon concentrations of my samples. Application of my
research can be used to discuss the environmental safety and acceptable chemical concentrations
for use of nearby water sources. In conclusion, I learned new beneficial lab techniques and
professional work ethic throughout this experience, which will help me in future opportunities
and my career aspirations.
 Morgan D.
Helping with summer camp at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
My Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE) took place at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage
(GEHC) Center in Buford, GA and my mentor was Wendy Seigler, who is the internship
coordinator there. One of my primary duties was to prepare for that day’s activities before the
campers arrived each day. A second responsibility was to lead campers through their activities in
camp, which allowed me to improve my communication skills because I had to be able to
communicate to them in a clear manner. A third responsibility was to clean the classroom each
day after the campers left which allowed me to improve my organization skills because
everything had to be put back in the correct place in the storage room. I often used cleaning
equipment such as wipes or a vacuum to clean after a day’s activities and crafting materials for
daily activities. Before my internship started, I was required to attend intern and volunteer
orientation where we learned basic rules and took a tour of GEHC’s campus. Overall, I feel my
JFE was a positive experience that allowed me to grow in many ways and learn new things.

Julie C.
My internship at Goodman Chiropractic Clinic
This summer I interned at Goodman Chiropractic Clinic, which is next to Alexander Park, and
worked alongside my mentor Dr. Goodman and his staff. My duties at Goodman Chiropractic
were to check-in patients, put in patient notes to note their progress into their EHR Software,
clean adjustment beds, put people on and off of Heat and Electrical Stimulation, and scan and
file paperwork. The responsibilities I was held up to were: getting to work on time, conversing
brightly with patients, and completing tasks efficiently and on time. Throughout my experience, I
was able to interact with patients and staff, which helped improve my communication skills and
let me work on initiating conversations and being a good listener. As well, I was able to improve
my Spanish by communicating in Spanish to native speakers and letting them correct my
Spanish. Throughout the day I used their EHR Software, Platinum Systems, to schedule patients,
put in their note, and store their information electronically. Additionally, I learned a lot of
medical knowledge about the spine and nervous system throughout my internship. I am grateful I
got to intern with this Clinic and wish to continue my studies in the medical field.

Aryan A.
Interning as a Summer Camp Counselor at the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage
Center
I interned at the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center as a summer camp counselor,
mentored by Mrs. Wendy Seigler and Mrs. Sandra Aceto. As a counselor, my responsibility was
keeping the children safe while making the camp experience fun by monitoring the children on
hikes and during activities, keeping the children entertained and calm, answering any questions
about camp topics, etc. This resulted in me learning and polishing many of my interpersonal
skills, such as assertiveness, communication with children, and spontaneity (which was needed
since the children were unpredictable). Before starting work though, all interns and summer staff
needed to attend an orientation session a few weeks before the 9-week summer camp season, in
which Mrs. Seigler, Mrs. Aceto, and other administrators would explain the mentioned
responsibilities and other summer camp rules. We were also given access to a work room full of
donated materials at our disposal, along with classrooms with computers and projectors. All in
all, I enjoyed interning at the center over the summer, and I will surely use the skills I have
gained from this experience throughout my life, though I want to pursue something more STEM
research-based for my senior capstone and post-secondary endeavors.

Sophia T.
Interning at Duluth City Hall
This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Duluth City Hall. My mentor was Kristen
McGregor, and I also worked closely with Danielle Ruedt as well as Jennifer Powell-Diallo. I
assisted Danielle with managing records by organizing minutes for various boards and
commissions. I used the program LaserFiche to find uploaded documents, such as minutes and
ordinances. I also helped out by uploading information from ordinances to the program Granicus
about the terms for past appointments to various boards and commissions as well as verifying
information that was already uploaded. These two tasks have taught me how to be more
organized both with paperwork and digitally. I also shadowed Jennifer, the receptionist, and
helped answer phone calls. I learned how to transfer a call, put a call on hold, and how to send
the caller to someone’s voicemail. Answering phone calls and interacting with my coworkers has
helped me improve my communication skills. Additionally, my mentor took me on a tour of
Duluth City Hall, the Duluth police department, and the different parks in Duluth. From my
internship, I was able to develop my skills while gaining an understanding of city hall functions,
and overall, I greatly enjoyed my coworkers and my internship experience.

Vidhi C.
Internship at Andersen, Tate & Carr: A Full Immersion into Law
Throughout this summer, I interned at Andersen, Tate & Carr, the largest law firm in Gwinnett
County. My mentors were Mrs. Brewer, a paralegal at the firm, and Mr. Reeves, an attorney and
partner at the firm. I assisted with three main responsibilities: regulating the scanning of
documents and mail, preparing pleadings indexes and binders, and accompanying Mr. Reeves on
meetings, calls, and in court. All of these responsibilities helped me develop skills such as
organization through scanning emails and documents and creating pleadings indexes and binders.
I also learned how to manage time well to reach meetings on time and how to converse with
people that I meet for the first time. The main technologies I adopted for this internship
experience were Microsoft Word, Canon copiers, and online mail services to complete my daily
activities. There were also many times where I attended special events in and out of the office. I
attended a lunch and learn in the office about legal procedures, along with multiple negotiation
meetings, deposistions, and a court trial with my mentor to learn more about legal practices.
Throughout this experience, I learned a lot about etiquette in a formal workspace and it helped
me decide to continue with law for my Senior Capstone Experience and career.

Dayana S.
Dental Assistant at the Rogers Center for Oral and Facial Surgery
I worked at the Rogers Center for Oral and Facial Surgery which is in Norcross, Georgia. My
main mentor was Emily Stalling, a dental assistant. I also got help from Jessica Serrano, Sonmya
Marri, and Alexia Ousley who are also dental assistants. My duties were cleaning the
instruments, bagging them, and then placing them in the oven. I performed Panorama (X-rays)
on patients that needed them. Some other responsibilities were making sure that the equipment
and the rooms were well organized and clean for the next patient. I also set up the patients to see
their blood pressure, blood saturation, heart rate, and oxygen levels. Learning this was not hard.
Within two weeks it got more comfortable. I utilized the computer which maintained a software
called Dental Management System (DMS) which was used to schedule and see appointments,
enter medical information, and organizing surgical procedures. There was another software that I
utilized that is called EzDent-I. We use this to take and see Panoramas and Cone Beam
Computed Tomography (CBCT). In conclusion, my experience at the Rogers Center for Oral and
Facial Surgery was amazing, and I got to learn many life lessons and work experience which will
assist me in the future.

Anne W.
Exploring the fields of medicine at the June Pre-Medical Institute
For 3 weeks of the summer, I lived on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis
(WashU) to complete my Junior Fellowship Experience. My mentor, Jake Funkhouser, was the
academic supervisor of the program. As a student of the program, I was expected to attend both
my morning and afternoon sessions, participate in medical lectures, and interact with my peers to
meet project deadlines. I attended lectures on topics such as neurology, oncology, and emergency
medicine, analyzed case studies, and utilized equipment such as pipettes and tourniquets for labs.
The experience also helped me improve my independent living, interpersonal communication,
and time-management skills since I was living and interacting with people from all around the
world. Additionally, I got to apply my newfound knowledge and skills to my disease
presentation and research symposium project. I demonstrated what I learned over the course of
the program at the research symposium showcase on the last day of the program, and WashU
faculty and families came to visit and listen to our presentations. Essentially, this program taught
me key medical knowledge and soft skills such as independent living and time management that
I want to apply to all my future endeavors.

Hana W.
Summer Camps at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
For my Junior Fellowship Experience, I interned at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage
Center (GEHC) where I shadowed my mentors Mrs. Wendy and Mrs. Sandy. My main
responsibilities at this internship were to manage the campers at all times and to assist my
coworkers and camp leaders. This included passing out materials and contributing to fun
activities. During these five weeks, I learned to become more social as I communicated with all
different age groups such as my mentors, coworkers, and campers. I also learned to become more
a leader as I managed up to 20 campers at a time and created activities to keep them under
control and occupied. Lastly, I learned how to be more patient with the campers. During the five
weeks at my internship, some of my camps utilized a LEGO Evolution (EV3) and a laptop to
code during the LEGO Robotics courses. For most of the campers, it was their first time coding
and therefore they were very slow. However, with patience, they eventually completed the kit
and competed with the other robots. My overall experience at GEHC was very exciting and
helped me work toward my goals of communicating and becoming a better leader. Because I
loved this experience, I plan to work at the facility next summer as well.
 Valerie F.
Mr. Math Tutoring and Enrichment Internship: Providing individual assistance and
Marketing help
I was given the opportunity to intern at Mr. Math Tutoring and Enrichment for my Junior
Fellowship Experience. During my internship, I worked as an assistant for, my mentor, Joseph
Diaz. Throughout my experience, I was responsible for providing assistance to each individual
student during sessions, as well as cleaning the classroom after lessons, and working on a second
website for my mentor’s consulting business. Under my mentor’s tutelage I worked on
individualizing the way I assisted each student, as well as how I communicated with each
student’s parent. Not to mention that my mentor reinforced the importance of having a
specialized teaching style for each student, especially when working with students with special
needs. My internship also emphasized the need to market a business as well as how difficult it
can be. Attempting to create a website for my mentor forced me to recognize just how difficult it
can be to digitally advertise a business, as well as how difficult it is to keep up with competitors.
Through this internship, I was able to gain a lot of first-hand experience with marketing, as well
as building my communication and planning skills.

Lauren B.
Volunteering at the Gwinnett County Public Library
My Junior Fellowship Experience took place at the Suwanee Branch of the Gwinnett County
Public Libraries over the Summer. My official mentor was Wilson Yeung; however, every staff
member played a role in assigning my duties and helping me with my skill developments. One of
my three primary duties and responsibilities were to help with managing the Summer Reading
Program (SRP) table by interacting with people who are participating in the program or wish to
sign up for it. I was also responsible for shelving carts of books during my shifts, which ranged
from three to four hours at a time. My third, and final, responsibility was to assist the employees
as they organized and led programs such as the ‘Baby & Me’ storytelling and the ‘Meet Me In
the Library’ with elementary students. One of the softwares I utilized was the Beanstack website
made by the library to manage the SRP. At the start of my internship, I attended a training
session and orientation that taught me how to handle difficult situations and also showed me
which tasks I would be responsible for. My greatest takeaway from this experience was the
visible improvement in both my communication and time-management skills.

Vidur S.
Shaping Young Minds: The Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center
My shadow based summer internship was completed at The Gwinnett Environmental and
Heritage Center. I worked with my mentor, Wendy Seigler, and alongside other staff/interns to
help run summer camp programs. Before the start of the summer camp, I participated in a worker
training session that introduced me to the skills that I would need to be successful during my
internship. My main responsibilities were organizing materials, supervising the children, and
entertaining the children. Each week of my internship I was placed in a different themed camp
and introduced to a new set of children. I worked and contributed ideas to a historical war
themed camp, a Harry Potter camp, a Viking themed camp, and a bridge engineering camp.
Through my interactions with children and coworkers, I was able to improve my communication
skills and practice my leadership. As my experience progressed, I learned and adapted new ways
of communication, and became more comfortable interacting with the children. My Junior
Fellowship Experience was my first opportunity to manage responsibilities in a legitimate
working environment. The skills that I have developed throughout my experience will assist me
in my personal communication as well as my future professional career.

Nyny H.
Student Worksite Experience Program (SWEP) Intern working with the Surveillance
Team on Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program
(MADDSP) in Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network for
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Through the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Junior Fellowship
Experience, I interned at CDC with 3 other students for Ms. Anita Washington. Starting the
experience, I did my own research on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from published
Community Autism Report and surveillance summaries for 4- and 8-year-olds to better
understand the data and why CDC continues to track the number and characteristics of children
with ASD. Our central project was to electronically scan in all clinician reviews for Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders four and five (DSM-4 and DSM-5) to Ms.
Washington. The clinician reviews or consensus forms indicate whether a child had ASD and
other comments about a condition. We used Smart Card for government, building, and system
access. I also worked with the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) Project to catalog
data entry and consent forms for SEED Teen using Excel. I had the opportunity to attend all the
conference calls, team meetings, and presentations. I learned about REDcap software, abstraction
process, and project planning and execution, which I will use in the future. Information and data
for ASD is growing so to increase reliable ascertainment of ASD. It is critical that we help
facilitate technological improvements and data analyses for accurate prevalence estimates so the
Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network can track ASD and other
developmental disabilities. I thoroughly enjoyed my JFE, and I cannot wait for my Senior
Capstone Experience.

Jonathan R.
Greatness from Small Beginnings
My internship was at the Gwinnett County Public Library Collins Hill Branch. My mentor was
Mr. Danny Hanbery who gave me assignments for the day. My three primary duties were to
assist with events, construct project ideas, and make prototypes for events. I would assist in
events by passing out materials and presenting on specific subjects during events. My second job
would be to create projects that the library staff thought of. We would envision a project that
would be suitable for kids, and it would be my job to construct it. Lastly, my other job was to
make prototypes for events. For some events, we create something that would help children
understand concepts that we are trying to teach them. For most of these projects, I used a simple
hot glue gun, but I also learned how to use a Cricut machine. I learned how to use the online
software, and upload my plan onto the machine so that it could cut out the shapes we needed for
events. Mr. Danny and his coworkers were passionate and fantastic people to work with. This
internship experience was great, and I would definitely do it again.
 Jinny K.
Internship at the Gwinnett Youth Commission: Learning and exploring Gwinnett County
During my internship at the Gwinnett Youth Commission (GYC), we started our meetings at the
Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Depending on the week, we left the Center to go to
a different location such as the Gwinnett Correctional Complex. My mentor for this internship
was Mrs. Nicole Hendrickson and she organized our meetings as well as the locations we would
be visiting. One of my primary responsibilities as a future Youth Commissioner is to be able to
lead a group of people efficiently and accomplish common goals. Another responsibility that I
had was to participate in class activities and be able to join in on group discussions. Through my
responsibilities, I was able to accomplish communicating effectively with my peers in the
Commission. During the internship, I visited many special Gwinnett events specifically designed
for our cohort to learn about the county. This includes going to a waste plant, visiting the police
and fire academy, going to our judicial courts, and meeting with the leaders of Gwinnett. My
internship at the Gwinnett Youth Commission helped to develop me as a leader and also to
further advance my career plans.

Samyek S.
Junior Fellowship Experience at Namaste Pharmacy
My shadow internship at Namaste Pharmacy with my mentor Manoj Pradhan was an eye
opening experience that will definitely aid me in my future endeavors. Primarily, I was tasked
with managing patients and customers on the AdvancedRx system, utilizing my communication
skills for translating and proper work etiquette, and maintenance of the pharmacy. Furthermore,
computers, cash registers, TeamViewer9, and social media were essential for my success. While
I also helped around the pharmacy, I also assisted in advertising the pharmacy door-to-door or
through social media. Throughout my internship, most training leading into work was mainly
done at home. Besides work ethic and pharmaceutical care training, I attended the grand opening
and some parties along with honorable guests and sponsors. All and all, there were magnanimous
improvements in my communication, work ethic, dedication, time management, and
pharmaceutical knowledge via my Junior Fellowship Experience (JFE).

Gregory P.
Junior Fellowship Experience with Friends of Refugees
For my internship I worked as a counselor at a camp called Summer Spectacular owned by the
organization Friends of Refugees. I had multiple responsibilities as one of the counselors of the
camp. For the most part my main job at the camp was to watch over the children throughout the
day. I was also mainly responsible for the character education class taught during academic time
that was meant to help the children understand the difference between right and wrong. Leading
the children everyday has allowed me to understand how to communicate and act around
children in a learning environment. My other responsibilities included being able to complete
any chores that were required of me during the day like taking out the trash, washing dishes, or
even sitting with one of the children in time out. Overall, I enjoyed my experience at the camp
because I got to spend time with the children who I found beneficial to be around.
 Kaylee W.
Emory Neurophysiologist Junior Fellowship Experience
For my Junior Fellowship Experience, I job shadowed Dr. Faical Isbaine, a neurophysiologist at
Emory University, who was working on a research project to analyze the accuracy of segmented
lead placement during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) guided Deep Brain Stimulation
(DBS) surgeries. My role was to record the data on the coordinates of the segmented leads
implanted in the Globus Pallidis interna (GPi) of previous DBS patients. I used a spreadsheet to
capture this information. Because I completed my assignment and my responsibilities quickly
and accurately, I was given the responsibility to complete the template poster for Dr. Isbaine.
From this project, I learned the process of approval for research in the medical community and
how to utilize the software MatLab to analyze data. In addition to working on my project,
learning the scientific method for medicine, and understanding the life of a neurophysiologist. I
also attended the special event of MRI guided DBS surgeries. I used Cranial Suite and Clear
Point during these surgeries. Going forward, I plan to work with Dr. Isbaine again on projects
where I have more responsibility and try to incorporate the questioning attitude I learned into the
other parts of my life.

Iqra A.
Interning as a Medical Administrative Assistant at East Atlanta Pediatrics
My internship was at East Atlanta Pediatrics and my mentor was Munira Lakhani. I mostly
worked in the front of the clinic where I signed patients in, made appointments, pulled and made
new charts, checked insurance, and made progress notes. I started off working alongside my
colleague Angelica. Later on, I worked in the front by myself. I spent half of my time using the
computer, where I utilized many new technologies. I used Availity and Georgia Medicaid
Management Information System to check patient insurance, and Brightuftures to make child
physical forms. The main technology I used was AdvancedMD. This was where all patient data
was stored and where I made appointments and pulled information for progress notes and
physical forms. Along with working on the computer, I also answered phone calls and pulled
charts. Throughout this internship, I worked on hard skills, such as improving my Spanish,
improving my typing skills, and becoming familiar with common medical technology and
terminology. My soft skills improved also. For example, I became more patient and learned how
to manage my time wisely. Overall, this internship opened my eyes to the medical field and
allowed me to learn skills that will help me throughout my life.

Madison J.-L.
Junior Fellowship Experience at Spectrum Autism Support Group
I interned at Spectrum Autism Support Group. My mentor was Ms.Claire Dees, the Executive
Director of Spectrum. However, I mostly interacted with and was lead by Mr.Bobby, the work
supervisor, Ms. Adrian, in charge of schedules and the interns, and Ms. Gilda, a co-worker. For
most of my internship, I worked daily with Ms.Gilda. I worked with many other people, but it
was mainly Ms. Gilda who helped me learn a lot about how to interact with children with Autism
Spectrum Disorder. My four primary duties were to make sure the children were safe and played
safely, make sure they had fun, help them learn some social skills, and to help clean up after
them. Everyday we went to the pool, played outside, went to music and movement, made arts
and crafts, played with toys, and read a book. On Tuesdays or Thursdays, the library man came,
and we sang songs, danced, and listened to him read a book. We used our phones to play music
that the children enjoyed. This internship has truly been a wonderful experience and has helped
me develop my communication skills, patience, and attention to detail as well as widen my
knowledge on Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Janice Y.
Autism Surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Throughout the summer I shadowed under Ms. Anita Washington at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is a prestigious organization that combats diseases, and
I specifically worked under the developmental disabilities branch for autism surveillance. In my
Junior Fellowship Experience, I copied many files on specific autism cases throughout the
United States and made sure that all of the files were available in both hard and online copies. I
also attended all surveillance and branch meetings while taking notes for both me and my mentor
to look back at later. Other duties included meeting with different coworkers in my mentor’s
branch and learning how their roles fit into the autism surveillance project. During this
experience, I was able to learn how to communicate with people of different backgrounds and
how to administrate different files and cases. By the end of my internship, I knew that for my
Senior Capstone Experience, I would like to pursue an internship that is more medical and
science related. Overall, I am very grateful for this experience as it enhanced my professional
abilities and helped me narrow down what I would like to do in the future.

Milan R.
Advanced Urology Summer Junior Fellowship Experience
During my JFE internship experience I interned with Dr. Jitesh Patel at Advanced Urology.
Throughout this shadowing-based internship, I gained lasting life skills and a unique perspective
on the motivation required to run a successful medical clinic. Dr. Patel focused a lot on the
business aspect of running a medical clinic. From the business aspect of this internship I learned
a lot about patient care models, management skills, and doctor to staff communication. On the
other hand, from the medical aspect of this internship I learned a lot about patience with patients,
attention to detail, and a passion to help other. In regards to technology, I was able to observe the
doctors and staff use a plethora of instruments and technology. I was honored to watch the Da
Vinci Xi robot, live X-rays, cauterizer, cystoscope, and kidney stents. This experience has
sparked a passion for medicine, and I hope to complete another medical internship for my Senior
Capstone Experience. The everlasting skills and experiences that I have gained from this
internship will help my future college and career aspirations.

Chelsea C.
Shadow and Scribe experience at the Peach Clinic
For my summer Junior Fellowship Experience, I completed a shadow-based experience at the
Peach Clinic located in Cumming, GA under my mentor Dr. Monal Shah. For the one week, I
shadowed medical assistants and a nurse practitioner, Dr. Heather Harris, in both pediatrics and
adult primary care. and For the last four weeks, I shadowed Dr. Monal Shah in the pediatrics
unit. ) For one week, While shadowing, my duties were to scribe information about the patient’s
visit to the clinic’s Electronic Health Records (EHR), eClinicalworks. Throughout my internship,
I also kept a journal of the medical terms I encountered and had them ready to discuss with my
mentor. Lastly, I completed small tasks in the EHR such as creating and organizing templates for
well-visits and retrieving immunization records. Through this internship, I learned to recall
medical terminology and common diagnoses in a pediatric clinic. I also became familiar with
EHRs by working with Practice Fusion and eClinicalWorks on a computer. I developed skills in
communication by interacting with patients and providing the doctor with updates on tasks I was
assigned. Lastly, I learned to accept criticism and improve on the quality of information I scribed
from the patient’s visit. My experience at the Peach Clinic increased my interest in the medical
field, and for Senior Capstone Experience, I would like to complete a medicine-based internship.

Shristi M.
Camp Counselor at Summer Spectacular Summer Camp
This summer, I interned at The Friends of Refugees: Summer Spectacular summer camp under
the guidance of my mentor, Emily Hutchins, Friends of Refugees youth programs director. My
primary responsibilities were to do daily chores, supervise the kids during free time, and lead the
art rotation. I also helped two students during academic time to better learn English. During this
internship, I learned how to handle a large load of responsibilities, improve my public speaking
skills, and improved interpersonal skills such as non-verbal communication. I learned how to
read people and communicate with them better. In my day to day tasks, while working with the
kids, I used art supplies, board games, cards, and other toys to keep the kids having fun. I learned
a lot about how to do this during 2-hour training session for the high schoolers at the start of
summer where we learned about how to do our jobs, responsibilities, interactions with the kids,
and the camp rules. We also had bonding sessions for the high school counselors to get to know
each other better. Overall, this was a fantastic experience that allowed me to have a fun summer,
meet new people, and gain invaluable skills.

Jasiah A.
Spectrum Autism Summer Camp Internship
My internship took place at the Spectrum Autism Summer Camp in Lawrenceville. While Clarie
Dees, the executive director of Spectrum, was my official mentor, Adrian Trotter was the hands-
on administrator that I worked with daily. During the internship, I was assigned to a different
classroom each week where I assisted the teacher. I took the kids to their daily activities, helped
serve them lunch, and cleaned up the classroom at the end of the day. While the tasks were not
difficult, it gave me a deep appreciation and respect for the physical and mental strength that
teachers use every day in their careers. I learned how to work with autistic children and
understand the different functioning groups of special needs kids. For most of my time, I assisted
in classrooms with young kids that were in the lower functioning groups. I found out that there
could be verbal and non-verbal kids that could all be at the same functioning level. Overall, my
experience has shown me the wide variety of kids within the autism spectrum, but my main
takeaway is that, no matter the functioning group, kids just want to have fun!

Deni V.
My Experience Working With Gwinnett’s Government
My Junior Fellowship Experience was with the Gwinnett Youth Commission, an organization
that focuses on introducing Gwinnett’s youth to the county government and giving teens more
influence in resolving local issues. I traveled to various locations during the program, but the
location I visited most frequently was Gwinnett’s Justice and Administration Center. My primary
mentor was Nicole Love Hendrickson, the creator of both the Citizen Academy Program and the
Gwinnett Youth Commission. My primary responsibility was to learn about Gwinnett County’s
departments and their operations through visits to associated locations. In addition, I was
required to actively participate in leadership-developing exercises and interview the numerous
leaders of Gwinnett County’s departments. The summer program was a training session for the
tasks we will undertake later in the year (communicating youth opinions to government officials,
community awareness projects, etc.). My Junior Fellowship Experience with the Gwinnett Youth
Commission has shown me a new perspective of both my community and my future career
options.

Jagdish D.
Assisting Summer Camps at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
For my Junior Fellowship Experience, I worked at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage
Center (GEHC). My mentors were Wendy Seigler and Ms. Sandy. During my time at the GEHC,
my main duty was to keep the kids safe and allow them to have the best time possible, but my
job was much more than just watching kids. While I was working, I obtained skills that will help
me in my future such as stronger, more efficient communication, problem solving, and a better
sense for timeliness. During my internship, I learned walkie-talkie codes and protocol, which has
many different codes that simplify the communication process. Prior to starting my internship, I
attended a training session that taught us to handle complicated situations that luckily did not
arise during my time there. During the training session, we learned GEHC protocol like the two
deep rule, which means anytime a camper has to go somewhere, two staff/volunteers have to be
present with them, which protects us and the camper in case any situation arises. My time at the
GEHC was filled with fun and responsibility which taught me to balance the two to maximize
my effectiveness as an intern and as a person

Joshuah L.
Field Medicine in Guatemala
Over the summer, I had the pleasure to undertake an internship under Dr. Maria Jose Morfin, a
medical professor and general medical doctor at Clinica Bethesda, the main clinic for the
Healing Guatemala mission organization in the Olintepeque area of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
As an intern, I was tasked with taking blood sugar levels of the patients each screening at the
microscopic level. I pricked the patient’s finger to draw blood before measuring the blood sugar
level using a portable glucometer. I also led the patients to Dr. Morfin’s office and shadowed her
in her interactions with the patients to accurately diagnose conditions. I took note that
inflammations and burns were easiest to spot and diagnose; however, sicknesses and pains took
more time and information through interviews. Furthermore, skin conditions generally were
diagnosed with a type of cream or paste. I was also assigned with taking x-rays for the dental
wing, and I learned that any discoloration with the x-ray could mean fillings, cavities, etc., and
which procedures necessary to treat them. It would be amazing to return, as my Junior
Fellowship Experience provided valuable experiences for pursuing a major in medicine.

Alexander M.
Volunteering at Emory’s Saint Joseph’s Hospital
For my Junior Fellowship Experience, I worked at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in three
different departments: the Catheterization Lab / Acute Rehabilitation Unit, the Cardiac
Rehabilitation Center, and the Advanced Heart Failure Center. My main mentor was Ms.
Davenport; however, each department that I worked in had their own representative heads. While
at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, I learned many new things that helped both my hard and soft
skills. For example, my soft skills were sharpened by having daily interactions with patients and
health officials; therefore, I had to be compassionate to patients and act in a professional manner
with my advisors. I also learned a lot about how the cardiovascular system works and how
physicians treat different heart problems, such as implanting a Left Ventricular Assist Device.
Additionally, there were multiple responsibilities that I had to complete each day, such as filing
patient paperwork, cleaning patient rooms, and helping patients sign in. For some of these
responsibilities, I had to use computer programs that would allow to view schedules for the day
and pull up patient records. All of these parts of my experience were amazing but also taught me
so much about how the medical field.

Ridha S.
Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital Junior Fellowship Experience
Under Anne Davenport this past summer, I worked in four departments of the Emory Saint
Joseph’s Hospital Volunteeen program. Prior to the beginning of this experience, I was required
to attend an orientation to understand my responsibilities and duties. Monday mornings started
with rehab services where I primarily surveyed patients about their therapists, checked backend
inventory, and shadowed therapists. I then reported to nursing administration to complete tasks
such as delivering information and charting the hours in Emory’s software for each nursing unit.
On Thursday mornings, I went to admissions and collaborated with the volunteers and Priscella
Ellis to ensure that patients and their families were going to the right location in a timely manner.
I then reported to the nursing units to help distribute lunch to patients, direct patient request to
the appropriate person, and take the secretary’s position as needed. Through the course of six
weeks, I improved my communication skills by conversing with the patients and my teammates.
I also understood more about the healthcare profession so that I am better informed to make
choices for my career. All in all, I am grateful because I was able to help patients and learn more
about medicine.

Zachariah D.
Working with Young Campers at The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
My internship took place at The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center and McDaniel
Farm Park. While my mentor was Nathan Griswell, the supervisor for the camp program, I
worked mostly with lead educators for specific themed camps. At those camps, my primary
responsibility was supervising, helping, and administering the instructions of educators to the
young campers. In addition, I assisted with the setup and cleanup of the different camps at the
end of the week, getting materials necessary for activities in place beforehand, and kept the
activities progressing smoothly and efficiently by serving whatever purpose was necessary, from
cooking thematically appropriate food to scorekeeping fictional games. Through these
responsibilities, I was able to meet my primary goal of developing better communication and soft
skills during my Junior Fellowship Experience by practicing through talking and giving
instructions to children. To reach my goal of improved communication, I used Excel to organize
collected data and teach the campers about statistics. Having to work in a group setting outdoors
made this internship different from what I am accustomed to, but it was also an opportunity to
develop skills that I have neglected and diversify my work experience.
 Aditya Y.
Shadowing at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
This summer, I worked at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic College Suwanee Branch
under my mentor Dr Rayalam. During my internship, I had to go through a training and safety
course allowing me to work in the lab, and I also attended a lab orientation. My main
responsibility in this internship was to shadow the research students conduct their experiments
on cells and macrophages, specifically 3T3-L1 cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. I learned the
different types of techniques they would use in the students’ research such as trypsinization and
how to run a western blot. I was also responsible for reading several research papers, and I
submitted summaries of those research papers to my mentor. My greatest accomplishment here
was helping two other research interns create nanobots conjugated with a phytochemical to help
reduce adipocyte density in the body. I also learned a lot of content relating to biology, which
helped me connect all the content we learned in AP Biology. The research interns would often
use centrifuges, micropipettes, hot baths, and western blots to conduct research on the cells.
Overall, my internship at PCOM was a great learning opportunity about the research field and
biology field in general.

Mariam D.
Obesity and Nanoparticles Research
This summer, I interned at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Georgia Campus
(PCOM Georgia) completing experiments based on a project I was given by my mentor. The
project involved using super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) to deliver a drug,
Xanthohumol, to adipose tissues to combat obesity. My primary responsibilities were to carry
out experiments related to this research (i.e. creation of SPION, amine functionalization of
SPION, creation of TEG-diester, etc.) to assist in the development of this project. While carrying
out experiments, I was able to use a large variety of technologies only available in research labs,
such as a lyophilizer, a sonicator, an evaporator, and a centrifuge. I learned how to use these
technologies and also learned how to carry out testing procedures, such as thin layer
chromatography (TLC) and a column. The most important soft skills I learned were how to
function in a research environment, including a change in mindset and the basics for how
research scientists work daily, and improved communication skills with adults. Overall, my
internship experience at PCOM Georgia gave me the ability to learn about myself and what I
would like to do in the future but also allowed me to gain skills that will assist me in life
regardless of my future plans.

William Y.
Exploring Opportunities in the Medical Field – Cardiovascular Group (CVG)
I interned at the Cardiovascular Group on Walther Road in Lawrenceville under my mentor, Dr.
Salil Patel. I was given the opportunity to job-shadow different types of professionals around the
medical office. I worked with an information technology specialist, an electrical medical record
(EMR) specialist, two cardiologists, and a nuclear specialist. During my time with each
professional, I was given different responsibilities so that I could gain experience related to each
field of work. While I was working with the IT specialist, I mainly assisted him with simple
tasks, such as updating and downloading programs onto office computers or creating Global
Enterprise Manufacturing Management System (GEMMS) or Windows user accounts. When I
was with the cardiologists, I was given permission to observe patient checkups and record patient
notes. While I was with the EMR specialist, I inspected and verified patient information. Finally,
I observed the use of different imaging tests such as the positron emission tomography (PET)
scan and an echocardiogram with the nuclear specialist. Ultimately, interning in a healthcare
environment allowed me to improve my social communication skills and helped me gained
valuable insight on several careers that are available in the medical field.

Michael A.
Camp Aide for Gwinnett County Parks & Recreations Summer Camps
I worked in the Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Summer Camp Aide Program at Rhodes
Jordan Park as a Camp Aide. My mentor was Julia Tew who is the Recreational Leader at
Rhodes Jordan Park. I was responsible for assisting the camp counselors in the daily
administration of the program, assisting in the supervision of the campers and their activities, and
help maintain safety of the campers. I strengthened my leadership skills by being a positive and
motivating role model, and in turn earned respect from the campers, my peers, and my mentor. I
also strengthened my communication skills by developing strong working relationships, which
allowed me to be more receptive to learning and engaging. I participated in an orientation event
to meet my co-workers and learn the duties and expectations of my position. Also, I was
selected to represent the camp program at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration
Center for Camp Proclamation Day! The ceremony was held to acknowledge the importance of
the Parks and Recreations department, along with the benefits that the department provides to the
community. Overall, I tremendously enjoyed my fellowship experience. It was a rewarding
experience to work with the youth in my community and help make their summer camp
experiences positive and memorable.

Yung-Chi J.
Researching Cosmic Rays at GSU
For my junior fellowship experience, I worked at Georgia State University. More specifically, I
worked in the High Energy Nuclear Physics Laboratory and the Computational Physics and
Digital Instrumentation Laboratory of the university. During my experience, I was tasked with
building the aluminum frame of the cosmic ray telescope, testing the reliability and integrity of
the scintillator tiles that are the primary components of the cosmic ray telescopes, and took notes
in regard to coding and astronomy concepts, facts, and terms while Dr. He is reprogramming a
multitude of different simulations and lines of software. Over the course of the internship, I have
fulfilled all three tasks. The internship utilized a multitude of different types of programs and
coding languages, such as GEANT4, Linux, C++, Root, and Excel. Every language was used on
a Dell monitor, sometimes with Windows or Linux installed depending on the task at hand.
Ultimately, my summer Junior Fellowship Experience allowed me to have hands-on experience
with types of coding that I would not have been able to access at home or did not know about.
The internship also expanded what I knew about astronomy and the other processes that are
related to the field.

Eugene L.
My Junior Fellowship Experience at Gwinnett Medical Center in Duluth
Over the summer my Junior Fellowship Experience took place at Gwinnett Medical Center in
Duluth. I had multiple mentors, but my main were: Mrs.Morris (Volunteer Coordinator),
Mrs.Sherry (5th floor Secretary), and Mrs.Marie (Nurse). During the week I would go to my
internship twice a week, Monday and Thursday; however, I was sent to different parts of the
hospital depending on the day. On the 5th floor, I worked as a secretary and had the opportunity
to learn how a nurse secretary worked; there I was in charge of answering calls and talking to the
patients which improved my communication skills and taught me how to act in a professional
workspace. On Thursdays, I worked in the Imaging Pavilion with Mrs.Marie and I took a more
active role similar to a nurse; I was responsible for stocking and cleaning the rooms and created
information packets for the nurses to use. Some special events that I participated in were live
operations on patients conducted by Dr.Patel, and on Wednesday July 17th, I took part in a
summer workshop that taught me more about medicine and its related careers; and I also learned
about Exo-skeletons there. I believe that this experience was invaluable because it taught me a
lot about working in a hospital because of the very informative and friendly nurses that I worked
with. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and I would be grateful for the opportunity to continue
interning here.

Aayush P.
Liang Laboratory Internship
I worked at the Liang Laboratory in Emory University with my mentor, Dr. Gao, where we
analyzed M1-2 and N1P2 proteins to find the viral replication machinery of the Respiratory
Syncytial Virus (RSV). My duties included cell culturing, cell harvesting, protein purification,
and running SDS-PAGE gels. I learned how to perform the above techniques as well as soft
skills such as being methodological, better time management, and being more focused and detail-
oriented. I did attend a training session on my first day of the internship. We learned safety
techniques for the lab as well as various rules and procedures for the Liang Lab specifically. I
also went to a lecture that was presented by Dr. Gao about Cryo-EM and had a poster
competition for different aspects of the lab.
I enjoyed my time at Liang Lab. This was a fun and interesting internship that augmented
my interest in biology. I also have gained valuable information on how research works in the real
world, and it has helped me weigh options such as pursuing an MD/PhD pathway, which I
currently am leaning towards. Everyone in the lab was extremely friendly and produced a
positive environment, where mistakes were seen as a learning experience. I am grateful for this
opportunity and look forward to more during my Senior Capstone Experience (SCE). I would
like to pursue a SCE in the medical field to get experience in the other side of the MD/PhD
pathway.

Nekha D.
Shadowing at Gwinnett Orthodontics
I had the opportunity to intern at Gwinnett Orthodontics with my mentor, Dr. Janice J. Wilmot. I
shadowed Dr. Wilmot throughout the day, made congratulatory bags for patients who had their
braces removed, and sterilized orthodontic instruments. Dr. Wilmot demonstrated how to analyze
different types of x-rays and make treatment plans for patients depending on the x-rays during
the shadowing portion of my internship. I was trained on the sterilization machines for the first
two weeks of my internship, and I became in charge of the sterilization station after I proved I
understood the sterilization procedure and importance of sterilizing the instruments. I used
technology such as the Hydrim, Autoclave, and Ultrasonic Cleaner for sterilization, and I used
the iTero device to scan retired models of teeth to an online database. When using the iTero
device, I had to be monitored by an adult, so I was able to interact with and learn from many
employees at the orthodontic office, which greatly improved my communication skills. My
internship was a very beneficial experience because I was able to experience working in a
professional environment and gain knowledge about lab safety and instrument sterilization.

Eun Sil R.
Synthesis of Hydrogels at the Georgia Gwinnett College Chemistry Laboratory
For my internship, I researched at the Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) under Dr. Seungjin Lee.
My primary duties consisted of conducting experiments on previously made hydrogels and
gather data on the efficiency of hydrogel to absorb nitrogen. Other duties included researching
articles and experiments relevant to the project and synthesizing hydrogels. This internship
experience has allowed me to develop my problem-solving skills to optimize a hydrogel and time
management skills based on the ‘wait time’ for each experiment. To gather data, I learned to
utilize various machines such as the Total Organic Carbon/Total Nitrogen (TOC/TN) to gather
the amount of nitrogen absorbed by the hydrogel and the Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) to find the
bonds in the hydrogel. In order for me to pursue the research experiment, special training was
given by Dr. Lee’s students in order to gather a thorough understanding of the project. Looking
back at this internship, I realized that research career interests me, and I also gained experience
about real-world problems and their solutions along with hands-on research skills.