Summer Intern Spotlight: Hear What Our Interns Learned!

The Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) team led a summer internship program by partnering with business leaders across Quest Diagnostics to provide hands-on work experience for students from the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Scholars programs. These programs provided participants with professional experience and research development opportunities to support their growth as future leaders in STEM and healthcare.

The interns worked directly with medical, marketing, and lab operations professionals, received mentoring, and participated in networking opportunities. This program supports our commitment to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce and broadening the healthcare career pipeline by recruiting interns from the AHA’s HBCU and HSI programs.

Learn more about the interns’ experiences, achievements and career aspirations below.

To learn more about AHA’s Scholars Programs, click here.

Litzy Ocampos, graduate student at The University of North Texas, pursuing master’s degree in maternal and child health

• Hometown: Houston, TX
• My favorite part of the internship was working hands on with the grantees and hearing how every organization has different goals and plans to help different communities joining the fight for health equity.
• My biggest mentor and role model this summer has truly been everyone on the Q4HE team as they each shared many gems and tokens of knowledge. Each person on my team has their personal strengths, and from each of them I have learned something new that has led me to grow as a health professional. Stacey Ingram, Cynita Smith-Watson and Dr. Alicia Meadows have all been outstanding role models.
• My biggest accomplishment during my internship this summer has been updating our SharePoint site to provide up-to-date content and information about the amazing work Q4HE does with Quest employees.
• My post-graduation aspirations are to continue my education in a PhD Program and work with maternal and child health clinics to create outreach programs.
• A fun fact about myself is I am a huge dog lover; I have 3 dogs, a 17-year-old, 2-year-old and a 3-month-old puppy. I am also a doggy foster mom who loves caring for pups in need!

Kimani Williams, senior at Tuskegee University, majoring in biology and public health nutrition

• Hometown: East Orange, NJ
• My favorite part of the Quest internship was being exposed to various rotations of the medical laboratory, including Auto Chemistry, Hematology and Serology. This allowed me to determine which departments I enjoyed most.
• Ruth Clements stood out as a role model this summer. I was inspired by her authenticity and her eagerness to continuously improve herself.
• My biggest accomplishment this summer was becoming a Quest for Health Equity intern and gaining more insight to various careers in the healthcare industry. This provided me with clinical experience and networking opportunities.
• I aspire to become a physician and a life-long advocate for health equity.
• My hobbies including travelling, reading and writing poetry.

Yaire Hernandez, graduate of Montclair State University, BS in Public Health

• Hometown: Morristown, NJ
• My favorite part of the internship was experiencing the various sides of Quest, from donating no-cost testing to Grant funding, and working through that process and its challenges. I was able to work on some marketing aspects as well as visit the Secaucus office on two occasions. As a returning Intern, I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity to have continuous improvement in the workplace and to be introduced to so many amazing and passionate people doing the work!
• I think the whole Quest for Health Equity Team have been mentors to me in one way or another. In the different areas of expertise, they all have a passion for health equity, and enriched the learning experiences. Cynita Smith-Watson and Stacey Ingram have made me want to return to Quest and continue to support the work we do!
• My biggest accomplishment was being able to attend [Q4HE grantee] Green Bronx Machine’s event and see my work being displayed—it was one of my proudest moments as an intern. It was an amazing opportunity to have full design ownership of the banners and have the Q4HE team’s support along the way! Having their feedback and leadership during my internship has helped me develop and improve skills needed in the workforce.
• This upcoming fall, I will be starting my MPH in Health Systems Administration/ MBA Dual Degree Program at Montclair State University.
• I enjoy traveling and collecting mugs, ceramic house decor and magnets from all countries and states I visit!

Chloe Pigues, sophomore at Hampton University, majoring in biology

• Hometown: Raleigh, NC
• My favorite part of the internship was the invaluable networking opportunities and witnessing the impact of my contributions to the mission. I particularly enjoyed engaging with professionals across various departments, which enriched my understanding of the industry and expanded my professional network. Additionally, seeing how my work directly contributed to the team’s objectives was incredibly rewarding.
• Adrienne Uzonyi has been an exceptional mentor and leader throughout my internship. Her insightful direction and constructive feedback have been invaluable to my growth and development over the past 10 weeks. Adrienne’s willingness to share her knowledge has provided me with a clear understanding of the industry and refined my analytical skills. Her support in navigating complex tasks and end encouragement in exploring new approaches have enhanced my experience and confidence in this work.
• My biggest accomplishments this summer have been the vast amount of knowledge I have been able to retain as well as both of my presentations that were presented at the Quest for Health Equity Intern Presentation Day and the presentation presented to the Adv. IDI team.
• After graduating from Hampton University, I plan to pursue a medical degree by attending medical school. My goal is to specialize in radiology and utilize advanced imaging technologies to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions, contributing to the overall health and well-being of patients.
• In my free time, I enjoy reading a diverse range of books which allows me to further expand my knowledge and explore different perspectives. Additionally, I love going on long walks outdoors which provides me with a sense of relaxation. While I do gain personal enjoyment from these activities, it also contributes to my overall well-being.

Maria Bravo, sophomore at Miami Dade College, majoring in chemical engineering

• One of the best things I have learned with Quest is management and problem solving. Working with the Lab Operations teams, I gained more knowledge on how to identify and solve a problem efficiently and quickly.
• My manager, Lazaro Rodriguez, stood out as being a great mentor in this internship, explaining everything I needed and wanted to know and making sure I was comfortable while settling in.
• My biggest accomplishment this summer is being able to work here at Quest and help replace the DMS Boards at the Miramar Lab, for a better management and problem-solving strategy.
• Upon the completion of my undergraduate program, my primary goal is to immerse myself in the professional arena, specifically within either the energy industry or medical research, leveraging the knowledge and skills acquired during my pursuit of a Chemical Engineering bachelor's degree. While I have long-term plans to pursue a Master’s in Analytic Chemistry, I intend to gain valuable work experience first and build a robust resume through employment opportunities.
• My favorite activities include going outside, exercising, and going to concerts and festivals. Being in open and fun environments recharges me with good energy.