Intern Testimonials

“I am thrilled to be a Public Health Outreach and Communications intern working with Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition towards the crucial goal of preventing environmentally-linked breast cancer. As a graduate student in environmental health sciences, I feel proud to promote the “Let’s Talk Prevention” public health education and communication projects and
grateful to contribute to the effort of making Massachusetts a healthier place to live. The people who work for this organization care so deeply about MBCC’s mission to reduce environmental exposures and eradicate cancer, and I am honored to learn from such a driven team. This team’s support, mentorship, and passion has inspired me to be a better advocate, scientist, and public health communicator as a result of my work with this wonderful organization.”

– Elise Pierce

“Working with the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition has been nothing short of rewarding. Every single person who volunteers, interns, and works with this organization is truly passionate about a great cause. Since starting my work with the MBCC, I’ve met with people who are kind, patient, and supportive of one another, helping us all reach a common goal. When navigating through a busy schedule, the people at MBCC make it easy to stay motivated by checking up on me and helping me produce the best work I can. As an outreach intern, I work with the Executive Director, Cheryl Osimo, to educate the public on PFAS (forever chemicals) and their harmful effects. No matter what task I am in charge of, I know every accomplishment I achieve will go towards making a positive impact. The past few months have been gratifying, and I look forward to continuing my work with the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition.”

– Abhikhya Sonti

“I had the privilege to spend the spring and summer of 2024 as a Programs and Advocacy Graduate Intern with the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition. Throughout this experience, I found a passionate and supportive team committed to advancing breast cancer prevention and environmental health advocacy. This internship provided an incredible opportunity to develop my skills in outreach, advocacy, and community engagement while working on meaningful projects that aim to make a significant impact. The collaborative and empowering environment at MBCC has greatly contributed to my professional and academic growth. I am deeply proud of the work we accomplished together and grateful for the chance to contribute to such an important cause.”

– Claren Ruth

“As a current Outreach and Communications intern for MBCC, I have the pleasure of working and collaborating with individuals that are dedicated to MBCCs mission. I am pleased to be working with MBCC’s executive Director, Cheryl Osimo, who you can see is passionate about the work she does. Not only that, she is passionate about the interns she takes on, and is dedicated to ensuring that interns are provided with great opportunities to advance their skills and learn new ones. At almost 4 weeks into my internship, I had the honor to testify alongside Cheryl before the Joint Committee on Public Health, in support of An Act to Protect Massachusetts Public Health from PFAS (H.2197/S.1356). This was an opportunity that I never thought I would have, and it has sure made for a great memory. Through this internship I am learning more about Environmental health, community education, and the importance of public policy to create meaningful change. I have a few more weeks left in my internship and I am excited to see what else comes from it. So far it has truly been a pleasure to be part of an organization that strives for changes in our system, to benefit generations to come.” *Sura now serves as an a member of the MBCC Board of Directors.

– Sura Hassoun

“I am honored to have spent the spring and summer of 2022 as a Graduate Intern with MBCC. Through this experience I found a dedicated team of like-minded advocates who supported my professional and academic growth and shared a worthwhile goal: preventing environmentally linked diseases. This internship is a fantastic opportunity for students eager to develop outreach and community building skills and it is an amazing experience for anyone who wants to work in a small team while making a big impact. I love this organization and feel so proud of the work we do together.”

– Katie Lee

“My experience working with Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) as the Programs Outreach & Communications Graduate Intern has been immensely positive. As I worked to contribute toward the Coalition’s mission of preventing environmental causes of breast cancer through community education and changes to public policy, there was not a day that went by where the work did not feel extremely fulfilling. While I was able to demonstrate my strengths in this internship, I was also challenged and pushed outside my comfort zone into opportunities that allowed me to expand my knowledge and skills in the public health realm. I feel incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with MBCC over the last 7 months and feel fortunate to have been part of an extremely passionate and dedicated team working toward breast cancer prevention.”

– Amanda Anthony

“When I was first experiencing the scramble every sophomore in college goes through in searching for summer internships, I wanted something that was remotely related to the field that I was interested in, and something that would look good on my resume. I remember frantically searching through website after website, applying to any and every internship I could. That’s when I stumbled upon Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, and I’m so lucky that I did. Even in my first interview with Executive Director Cheryl Osimo, I knew that this organization was one that I truly wanted to be a part of. Right off the bat, I could see how passionate every single member was. Now, after working with MBCC for more than a year, I am honored to continue to contribute to MBCC as a consultant. As a double major and double minor at Vanderbilt University, I work very hard, but still am constantly striving to be as driven and dedicated as the members of MBCC. It’s MBCC’s unique mission of cancer prevention that truly motivates its members as they seek answers to what is causing the disease through environmental research and advocacy. I am truly honored that I was chosen to be a part of MBCC where I get to contribute to this important cause.”

– Molly Briggs

“During my time working at the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, I enjoyed so many positive experiences. I got to apply everything I spent 4 years studying, to a very real and very personal cause. The only way I was able to succeed is because of MBCC’s entire staff and volunteers are some of the most driven, kind and wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. While working with Cheryl Osimo, Executive Director, I could immediately see her passion for this organization. She has a level of dedication that I have truly never seen before. Cheryl always took time out of her busy schedule to make sure I felt comfortable and supported. From my first day, she was dedicated to becoming a mentor, and I never felt that I was bothering her in any way with my questions. However, the best part of working at MBCC was the daily feeling of satisfaction of knowing that the work we were doing is truly helping.”

– Lauren Scott