A Summer at the Foundation
We don’t typically host undergraduate interns, but Gabby, a Northwestern University student, impressed us with her inquiry letter and the inspiration behind it.
Thanks to Northwestern University’s Summer Internship Grant Program, which funds unpaid internships, she spent the summer with us. We’re grateful to the university for making it possible, and we’re grateful to Gabby for a summer of thoughtful work and impact. Here is her story, in her own words.
Real Work, Real Stakes: A Summer at the Foundation
I expected most undergraduate internships to involve busy, tedious work like stapling papers or responding to emails. At Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation, I found something different. I wrote and researched health blogs and knowledge articles published under the Foundation’s name and worked on outreach events that connected Wisconsin communities directly to the Foundation’s resources.
Learning to Ask for Help
This internship pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. Writing knowledge articles and blog posts on my own, without step-by-step instructions, forced me to build confidence in my ability to problem-solve, research, and adapt. I pored over scientific literature until I could explain it clearly, aware that my work would directly shape public understanding. When I was unsure about an article’s tone or structure, I initially hesitated to ask for help, not wanting to seem unprepared.
I learned that seeking guidance from colleagues and staying open to mentorship and feedback wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a crucial skill. Each time I asked, I grew more confident in my own instincts while also recognizing when collaboration was necessary.
Translating Science for Everyone
At first, I didn’t realize that writing knowledge articles and blog posts about health topics meant translating the confusing language used in research papers and by health care professionals into language that is actually effective and easy for the general public to digest. But this taught me how essential communication is for healthcare access. This highlighted the overlooked value of the public health work this foundation does, and public health in general.
A Conversation
At an outreach event in Tomah, Wisconsin, I spoke with a woman struggling to find affordable healthcare for her children. I introduced her to our Well Badger Resource Center and connected her directly to resources that could help. That conversation was a turning point for me; it showed me the difference between simply knowing about a problem and taking action to help solve it. All summer, I’d researched and written about health topics for a broad audience, but in that moment, my work became personal and immediate. I realized that the information I provided wasn’t just for awareness; it could be someone’s lifeline. Outreach wasn’t just another task. It was the real purpose behind everything I’d done — to reach and help people exactly like her.
Looking back, each project taught me something different, but they all pointed toward the same thing: real work with real stakes, and the trust to rise to it before I was fully sure I could. Working alongside the women at Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation, their values, drive, and support for one another, set a standard I’ll continue to look for wherever I work next. More than anything, this internship let me feel like I was making a difference and helping others, while building skills in research, communication, and problem-solving that I’ll carry through the rest of my career.