The Let's Talk Public Health Experiential Learning Program (ELP) is a time of exploration and growth. The ELP provides public health students with an opportunity to expand their public health communication and marketing knowledge, skills, and experience in a supportive, collaborative, and creative environment.

The ELP is not your average experiential learning program. You can choose one of two ways to participate:
  1. Fellowship - An ELP fellowship is designed like an independent study. Participants build a fellowship experience based on their individual interests and needs, select their start and end dates, determine their deliverables and deadlines, and set their participation schedule. In turn, Let's Talk Public Health provides guidance, support, technical assistance and training, accountability, and potential dissemination channels for each fellow's work.
  2. Internship - An ELP internship is designed more like a traditional professional learning experience. Participants apply for a specific internship position that aligns with their individual interests and needs. In turn, Let's Talk Public Health provides meaningful and practical professional experience along with guidance and support, and potential dissemination channels for each intern's work.

Not your average experiential learning program.
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Creativity | Camaraderie | Customization

Eligibility for the ELP

The ELP is for undergraduate and graduate students (18 years or older) who are studying public health at universities and colleges in the United States or who have graduated in the past 3 years. If you graduated over 3 years ago, you can still apply. However, priority is given to current and recent undergraduate and graduate students.

​Applicants must be interested in building public health communication and marketing knowledge and skills, such as:
  • Producing public health content for social media
  • Writing and publishing public health blogs
  • Creating and publishing public health resources
  • Creative writing and storytelling for public health
  • Building a public health brand
  • Being a public health influencer or content creator
  • Starting and operating a public health organization or business​​
Applicants also need to be:
  • Highly motivated to learn and explore
  • Proactive and action-oriented, to recognize and maximize opportunities for growth and development
  • Independent and self-driven, to complete and accomplish goals and tasks with minimal supervision
  • Assertive, to ask for help or guidance when needed  
  • ​Proficient in and equipped for virtual (remote) work

ELP Opportunities

There are two cohorts of the ELP:
  1. Spring: January 15 - June 15
  2. Fall: July 1 - December 15

Here are examples of the opportunities available for previous cohorts:

Applying to the ELP

Applying to participate in the ELP involves the following steps:​
  1. Complete the application before the application due date. All applicants will need a portfolio of work to submit with their application. If you are applying for a fellowship, you will also need to submit a proposal for your fellowship project.​
  2. Schedule and participate in an interview, if invited. (Please note: Not all applicants are guaranteed an interview, and participating in an interview does not guarantee acceptance into the program.)
  3. If accepted, review and respond to the acceptance email by the date requested.​
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​Application Windows
Fellowship and internship opportunities are posted approximately three months before the start of each cohort. If no opportunities are currently listed or if the application is closed, complete the interest form to receive email updates from us and check back in:
  • October/November for the Spring cohort
  • April/May for the Fall cohort

Interested in applying for the Spring 2026 cohort of the Experiential Learning Program? Applications are due December 15.

Participating in the ELP

Participation in the ELP is completely virtual, though there may be hybrid opportunities for participants located in the Washington, DC area.

​During the first week of the ELP, participants focus on completing the required forms and trainings for onboarding, getting set up in the Virtual Workspace, and drafting and finalizing a Participation Plan. The Participation Plan is a living document meant to guide each participant's time in the ELP and track the progress of their goals, desired outcomes, tasks, and deliverables.

During the ELP, participants are responsible for tracking their hours in the ELP Participant Timesheet. This helps to make sure they don't have too much or too little work to do, and that they are on track to complete their hour requirements.

Throughout the ELP, participants have access to:
  • Standing Office Hours - to guarantee time slots for scheduling meetings, as needed
  • Individual Check-ins - to regularly touch base and monitor progress
  • Meetups - to connect with other participants
  • Meet and Greets - to connect with professionals in the field

Participants are also expected to meet with various members of the Let's Talk Public Health team weekly or biweekly to support the completion of their tasks and deliverables. Heads up -- we expect cameras to be on during these virtual meetings.

Nearing the end of their fellowship or internship, participants are required to summarize their experiences and what they learned in a Final Report to be published on the Let's Talk Public Health blog. We also ask that participants complete our Participant Feedback Form to let us know how we did and if they have any recommendations for improvement.

Compensation
​At this time, ELP fellowships and internships are not compensated.

Academic Credit
Both fellows and interns may earn academic credit for their participation, if desired. Participants should indicate this interest on the application when prompted. (Please note: Let's Talk Public Health does not arrange academic credit for participants. If a participant's academic institution hosts an academic credit program, we will work with them to try and accommodate the request. The institution's requirements for academic credit must align with the internship opportunities available at Let's Talk Public Health. We are unable to create additional tasks or deliverables beyond those listed in the internship descriptions above.)

If there are forms, evaluations, and other documents or activities that Let's Talk Public Health needs to complete, participants must provide notification and access to those materials at least two weeks before their due date.

Interns and fellows are responsible for ensuring that they complete their institution's requirements for obtaining academic credit, in addition to fulfilling all ELP participation requirements.

Program Dismissal Policy
Participants are expected to uphold their ELP responsibilities throughout the program. Those who consistently neglect their tasks, fail to meet participation requirements, or do not communicate proactively with the Let's Talk Public Health team may be dismissed from the cohort.

Participants who are dismissed must resolve any related academic credit issues (if applicable) directly with their institution. Let's Talk Public Health is not liable for any loss of academic credit.

What's New with the ELP?

Get the latest Experiential Learning Program news and hear from past participants.

ELP Alumni

We are so proud of everyone that completed their Experiential Learning Program internships and fellowships!
2023
  • Felicia Avevor, State University of New York at Albany
  • Najib Abbi, University of Washington Bothell​
  • Nashrah Rahman, University of Maryland, College Park
2024
  • Abigail Johnson, University of Boston
  • Amina Saleban, University of Washington Bothell
  • Nicole Vicente, University of Washington Bothell
  • Leah Amanuel​, Howard University
  • Crystal Wood, Liberty University
  • Ojasvi Joshi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Sameera Shaik, Arizona State University
  • Melissa Goetz, Eastern Illinois University
  • Susan Karoubi, University of Arizona