Internships + Research Practicums
Experiential Learning
The ASCENT Center for Reproductive Health offers meaningful opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in reproductive health research and community engagement. Our undergraduate internship program provides flexible placements in communications, policy, community engagement, or allows students to design their own experience based on their interests and career goals. We also welcome graduate students from MPH programs and other disciplines who need to complete research practicum requirements for their degree. These opportunities provide valuable real-world experience while contributing to our mission of advancing reproductive health through research, education, and community engagement.
Internships
Join our communications team to develop essential skills in health communication and digital marketing. Interns will create engaging social media content across platforms, develop print and digital collateral materials, contribute to our newsletter, assist with website content updates, and support media outreach efforts. This role offers hands-on experience in strategic communication, graphic design, and public health messaging.
Work directly with our Policy Director to gain exposure to reproductive health policy development and implementation. Interns will assist with policy research and analysis, attend reproductive health roundtable meetings, support legislative tracking efforts, help prepare policy briefs, and contribute to coalition-building activities. This opportunity provides valuable insight into the policy process and how research translates into real-world health policy change.
Build meaningful connections between our center and the communities we serve. Interns will plan and execute at least 3 community and campus outreach events, develop relationships with community organizations, schools, and local businesses through strategic partnership building, contribute to research initiatives, represent the center at local meetings and community events, and oversee campus vending machine operations. This position offers experience in event planning, stakeholder engagement, and community-based participatory approaches to public health.
Research Practicums
Our research practicum program welcomes graduate students from various academic disciplines who need to fulfill research requirements for their degrees, including MPH students and others seeking hands-on research experience. Practicum students work closely with our research team on ongoing projects in reproductive health, contributing to study design, data collection and analysis, literature reviews, and manuscript preparation. Students gain hands-on experience with research methodologies, IRB processes, statistical analysis, and scientific writing while contributing meaningfully to advancing reproductive health knowledge. Each practicum is tailored to align with the student's academic program requirements and career interests, providing mentorship and professional development opportunities in a collaborative research environment.