2022 Summer Intern Report: Leticia Banda

Published:

Background
American University, Class of 2024

Project
Focused Ultrasound Symposium Sponsorship and Senior Executive Shadowing

Project Overview
This summer, I was part of  the Foundation team organizing the 8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound. I was specifically tasked with working on the exhibitor and sponsorship efforts. I corresponded with approximately 70 companies, informing them about the event and tracking sponsorship response rate. I also completed a landscape analysis of diversity and equity statement best practices for other relevant conferences and proposed sample language for the Foundation to use. I also shadowed Emily White, MD, my mentor.

Project Outcomes
I am continuing my internship into the fall and will attend the Foundation’s Symposium as much as possible. Currently, the sponsorships have exceeded the goal by over 10%. 

Describe your experience as an intern.
I have loved and enjoyed being an intern because I learned about the event sponsorship process and experienced the work dynamic with experts. I also had the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia and attend the Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2) event, where I was introduced to so much, including networking and engaging with others to decrease childhood cancer everywhere.

The Foundation has allowed me to explore what a degree in public health can do, and I am grateful for the Philadelphia trip. Besides that, the whole team is great and is willing to teach and not exclude me despite me being an intern and not having their experiences.

Has your internship affected your career plans?
Yes, I would like to use and learn more about focused ultrasound in my field of decreasing mortality in women’s health at the early stage, especially in my country, Malawi. Malawi is a developing country and one of the poorest countries with a terrible healthcare system.

What is one tip that you would give 2023 summer interns?
Get out of your comfort zone and go network. You will never know where your path might lead you. I never thought I would end up interning at the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in a million years. I am lucky and grateful that I stopped listening to my anxiety and went for what I wanted.

Where I come from, these types of opportunities do not happen. However, having this experience has made me confident with what I want to do with my life and accomplish my goal of helping people as much as possible.

Leticia joined the Foundation this summer through our partnership with the Economic Club of Washington’s Urban Alliance Summer Internship Program.