LHSI Intern: Public health practice

Program Summary:    

This internship is offered as a part of the Life-Health Sciences Internship Program (LHSI). This program connects 125 IU Indianapolis undergraduates per year with internships on campus with faculty and staff in a variety of health and science related campus areas/programs. All LHSI internships start in August 2026 and end in May 2027 and are paid $14/hour for up to 10 hours per week. Work-study is accepted but not required.  

Supervisor: Ms. Shandy Dearth 

Department/Office: Fairbanks School of Public Health; Center for Public Health Practice 

Overview of the internship site: Join us at the Center for Public Health Practice behind-the-scenes in real world projects as we take action to make Indiana a healthier state. The Center for Public Health Practice supports public health organizations in Indiana and beyond by providing community-centered learning opportunities, public health evaluations, analyses, and assessments. 

Website for more information: https://fairbanks.indianapolis.iu.edu/research-centers/public-health-practice/index.html 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: The Center uses student assistance for a variety of public health initiatives. This internship will primarily focus on our work with a local health department where we plan the logistics for immunization clinics. This student will attend meetings with staff and leadership in public health agencies, be responsible for some written and verbal communication with partners and will help with the logistics of documentation and scheduling meetings. Interns will learn basic office culture and etiquette and will be able to build skills to add to a resume for future employment opportunities. 

Work Environment and Dress Code: The work is performed primarily in an office setting with dress code: Some work will be in office settings with our partners and the student should be in business casual. Other times, work may be performed offsite or in the FSPH office and jeans are allowed. 

Project-specific qualifications: Attention to detail is a strong asset for this position. Experience with Excel is preferred but not required. We can teach the skills needed. 

Hours per week: flexible based on student needs (10 maximum); flexible within regular work hours 

By the end of the LHSI program, you will: 

Carefully consider, explore, and articulate your career goals, including an analysis of how you arrived at that path and what steps you need to take next. (Community Contributor, Communicator) 

Understand your role and strengths on a professional team and analyze who you would like to become as a professional. (Communicator) 

Gain and strengthen skills relevant to next steps after graduation, such as communication, collaboration, teamwork, analysis/synthesis/evaluation, independence, confronting/challenging failure, problem-solving and perseverance, and constructive criticism. (Problem Solver, Communicator) 

Convey ideas and knowledge effectively through an ePortfolio and presentation of your internship work. (Problem Solver, Communicator) 

Set and meet your own additional learning goals identified with your supervisor. 

LHSI Qualifications    

must be graduating May 2028 or after (usually a current freshman or sophomore in Spring 2026)   

Current full time IU Indianapolis undergraduate in 2026-27 

minimum overall GPA of 2.0   

All majors welcome 

To apply: 

LHSI accepts 125 interns per year. All available sites are listed in Handshake and will start with the position title “LHSI Intern.” Complete the application for LHSI at go.iu.edu/lhsi and list 3-4 internship sites on that application. You will meet with at least 2 of these if selected for interviews.