Being a Student and Intern During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author: Sejal Dubey, Boost Oregon Intern, Summer 2022
This blog post is part of our “Stronger Together Oregon” blog series that focuses on communities of color in Oregon.
In March 2020 I was a junior in high school. All of a sudden, a week of spring break turned into a global shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I didn’t know that I’d never have a normal day of high school again, or that the following years of my life would largely revolve around this virus.
Fast forward to the fall of 2021 and all of a sudden I was starting my freshman year of college. You might be asking, What about her entire senior year? To be honest, I couldn’t tell you much. So much of it was a blur, with online classes and canceled events making every day feel the same. The prospect of moving to Eugene and starting my normal life and education at the University of Oregon was such a relief, and I welcomed the chance to have a fresh start.
Starting my college education almost immediately came with so many opportunities that I discovered right in my inbox and around campus. I was able to join a student organization called the Student Health Advisory Committee, which serves as a liaison between students and University Health Services. Through this involvement, I knew exactly who to ask about other opportunities for volunteering, research, and even employment. Because of my openness to new experiences, I was able to secure an internship for the summer with Boost Oregon, and was even able to secure employment with Protection Connection, a sexual health and empowerment organization under UHS, starting in the fall of 2022.
All summer I’ve been working as an intern with Boost Oregon, learning so much about what makes successful community outreach and vaccine advocacy efforts. Working on exciting new projects like the upcoming podcast and Ask an MD consultation program has expanded my skillset and experience. These projects required me to be flexible, acting as a makeshift writer, graphic designer, PR agent, social media assistant, and young people specialist.
It has also made me reflect on the constantly changing field of public health; what do communities need in order to improve health outcomes, and what are the most effective ways to reach them? These are the questions and skills I look forward to using in the future, beyond vaccine advocacy. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to learn from the Boost Oregon staff while supporting their mission of educating and empowering local communities.
