Student Opportunities
The Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) provides opportunities for students to engage with multidisciplinary prevention research and practice projects. Students may work on projects in areas such as cardiovascular health, obesity, and diabetes; cancer prevention and control; children’s health; health equity; healthy food access; nutrition and physical activity; rural health; and more.
While working or interning with HPDP, students will be supervised by a HPDP faculty or staff member. Specific responsibilities will vary by project, yet all interns will have the opportunity to participate in applied research or public health practice to address pressing health problems facing our society. A variety of types of opportunities may become available, including unpaid internships, practicum experiences, work study positions, and paid opportunities. The types of opportunities and projects accepting students vary throughout the year.
Current Opportunities
Information on current opportunities is listed below. For more information on a particular opportunity, reach out to the individual listed in the posting.
Nutrition Assistant Position with the Carolina Hunger Initiative
Position:The position will be approximately 20-40 hours per week from mid-May/June through early August. The position pays $15/hour.
Community-Engaged Qualitative Evaluation and Communications Practicum (Bilingual)
Position: Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH) is offering a practicum opportunity to one masters-level student to gain experience in public health related to: community-engaged research, qualitative evaluation, health communications, and diabetes prevention. The ideal candidate will be fluent in both English and Spanish (preference for applicants from a Spanish culture and fluent in both English and Spanish). The practicum can be conducted largely remotely, with a few in-person interviews in central North Carolina. Location in Wilmington, NC with additional sites in Brunswick, Pender, and Sampson counties).
Research Assistantship with the UPSIDE Team
Who: UNC Chapel Hill graduate and undergraduate students
When: Ongoing
Position: Part-time research assistant, 5-10 hours/week, (volunteer or work-study; limited paid opportunities), hybrid (weekly in-person meetings)
Project: The UPSIDE Team is accepting a research assistant interested in self-regulation intervention and evaluation research from a positive youth development framework. This research assistant will work with a team of undergraduate and graduate students and research staff under the supervision of Dr. Desiree Murray to assist with current federally-funded projects that are 1) adapting the Be CALM mindfulness-based social-emotional program for middle school counselors, 2) evaluating a trauma-informed training and coaching intervention for Head Start teachers, and 3) examining day-to-day influences on adolescent wellbeing and coping utilizing ecological momentary assessment. Student tasks may include preparing data collection materials, tracking data collected and creating data summaries in excel, and other data entry and management tasks. Opportunities will be provided to participate in trainings and other activities to support research skill development.
Apply: Please contact hnetschy@live.unc.edu and send a resume.
More Information: The UPSIDE Team
Internships with the Carolina Hunger Initiative
Who: UNC-Chapel Hill Students
When: Fall, Spring, Summer (ongoing)
Position: Unpaid internships and practicum experiences
Project: The Carolina Hunger Initiative works to increase access to healthy food year-round for North Carolinians. Interns may help projects related to areas such as nutrition education, school and summer meals programs, and food insecurity among college students.
Apply: For information on how to apply for current opportunities, contact Jessica Soldavini.
More Information: Carolina Hunger Initiative Interns and Students