An internship is an opportunity offered or required by an organization for some time to gain real life experience. It is very important in our lives because it helps develop a professional character for our future careers. Likewise, I chose to complete my internship at the ODU Center for Global Health located in the College of Health Sciences. During my internship, some assignments I worked on were: I conducted a phone interview, worked on a nutrition survey, researched community resources for seniors, and a COVID-19 project. Important to realize, one of the most important task I worked on was the COVID-19 project. The main reason why it is important is because it is a pandemic the world is currently facing. The project was based on compiling information into categories such as safety information, policies and laws of COVID-19, and resources for individuals and businesses impacted by the virus. The following summary will analyze my role and what I completed in the project.

         Firstly, coronavirus also known SARS-CoV-2 is an infectious illness that affects the respiratory system after exposure to the virus. The illness first emerged in Wuhan Province, China in December, 2019. During this project, my preceptor recommended that a fellow intern and I work together on the project. I was a co team member on this project, and I helped to write a literature review on the project. I gathered some information on the virus, such as how it spreads, treatment options and ways to prevent the virus by analyzing and examining public health websites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make sure they all have consistent and accurate information to inform the community about the virus. On the other hand, some general public guidelines recommended to help decrease the spread of the disease are: avoid public transportation, calling ahead before visiting the doctor if one has symptoms, covering one’s cough and sneeze, cleaning one’s hands often by washing them with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

         Secondly, I reviewed and examined the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) law regarding people who have been impacted with the virus. This law made reference to eligible employees who can take unpaid leave under certain circumstances who have been impacted by the virus or not while their jobs are protected. Since the outbreak of the virus, most employers have decided to telecommute to help accommodate the needs of their employees. Likewise, the third part of this project was to research the various types of resources for small businesses and the people. Through research, some programs such as loans and grants from the government available for businesses and the community are the SBA Express Bridge Loans, SBA Debt Relief, and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These programs offer grants and loans to businesses to help them overcome their temporary lost of revenue.

       Thirdly, some skills I gained through this project are critical thinking skills, time management and collaboration skills. Not to mention, I improved these skills through the project. For instance, since the project tasks were due each week and were divided into three categories, I had to manage my time to make sure each week’s tasks were completed on time. Also, my collaboration skills improved because the project was a team collaboration between I and a fellow intern. In all, this internship was a beneficial experience for me because I gained more knowledge about the work field, and also improved myself in ways to make me more marketable to employers in the future by sharing the various tasks I was involved in during my internship.