ELP Experience: Melissa Goetz (Summer 2024)

3/14/2025

LTPH Experiential Learning Program Experience. I learned how to apply concepts that I’d learned in school. By this, I mean I learned what cultural competency actually looked like in practice and what plain language looked like in practice. I learned how to use my voice to make messaging more engaging for the audience. Melissa Goetz. Experiential Learning Program Intern, Summer 2024.

Tell us about you…

I’m Melissa Goetz, and I graduated in December from Eastern Illinois University with a B.S. in Health Communications. I knew I wanted to participate in the Experiential Learning Program at LTPH after following them on LinkedIn and Instagram for about six months. I could see the value in providing Public Health professionals with much needed tools to communicate complex issues to the general public. I knew that I not only wanted to be a part of that but also take what I had been learning in my coursework and see how that applies in the real world.

Tell us about what you worked on…

For my ELP project, I researched various public health topics such as sunscreen use/skin cancer, OneHealth, and people-centered language and plain language principles. I then wrote blog posts regarding populations to discuss sunscreen use/skin cancer prevention more equitably and how professionals can use recent events to communicate about OneHealth to the general public. I learned how to use Canva to create social media posts for these topics. I collaborated on a blog post summarizing a series of webnairs that Monique and/or I had attended, as well as on our Sun Safe No Shade Campaign. Lastly, I created an ebook to provide examples of people-centered language and how to apply it in the making of a campaign, as well as a process for creating truly plain language.

Tell us what you learned…

I learned how to apply concepts that I’d learned in school. By this, I mean I learned what cultural competency actually looked like in practice and what plain language looked like in practice. I learned how to use my voice to make messaging more engaging for the audience. I also learned how to be a part of a remote team and the tools used to make that cohesive.

Tell us what the best part was…

I feel really lucky to have learned from Monique. She’s brilliant, creative, and encouraging. I struggled with imposter syndrome, and she really helped me to overcome that and see the value I brought to the team. Seeing that health communications can be entertaining and creative rather than just data that makes people’s eyes glaze over was refreshing and renewed my sense of wonder in the field. I feel prepared to enter the workforce now, having a much better understanding of the work and best practices. I also am more comfortable with social media content creation, which I think will be a huge asset moving forward.

Tell us about your future…

I am actively looking for a role in health communications. One day, I hope to work for a state Public Health division or nonprofit. If you are in this ELP, it means you are just beginning. I had a professor who always said, “good work is a product of butt-in-chair time” and I’m learning that could not be more true. I can say that, if you put work into it and lean on the mentors in this program, you will leave with far more butt-in-chair time and far better work than when you began.