Say hello to our wonderful group of summer 2020 interns! We are so excited to learn and grow alongside these passionate and driven mental health advocates.
John Cohill
Where do you go to school? What do you study?
I go to the University of Delaware, where I study Public Policy and Administration.
Where did you grow up?
Wilmington, Delaware
What team are you interning for at Active Minds?
Programs
Why did you want to intern at Active Minds?
I wanted to join Active Minds because I want to play a small role in leading the conversation around mental health and I wanted to gain a better understanding of the relationship between Active Minds, higher education, and the government.
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
During the semester, the thing that I am most looking forward to would have to be connecting Speakers with host schools and organizations to create Active Minds events across the country.
What makes you get out of bed each morning?
The thing that gets me out of bed in the morning would be knowing that there are so many good people in the world, fighting the good fight.
What is your favorite thing about your hometown?
Its proximity to a bunch of major cities and places.
What are you binge-watching on Netflix/Hulu right now?
Criminal Minds
Favorite thing to do in your free time:
Go to the beach
If money were no object, where would you go for your next vacation?
Hawaii
Erinn Ossentjuk
Where do you go to school? What do you study?
I am a rising senior at the University of Maryland. I am majoring in Public Health Science and minoring in Sustainability.
Where did you grow up?
Washingtonville, NY
What team are you interning for at Active Minds?
Development
Why did you want to intern at Active Minds?
As someone pursuing a career in public health, mental health is a priority of mine, but the opportunity to engage in mental health from an advocacy and fundraising perspective rather than a health science perspective excited me when I found out about Active Minds.
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
I have fundraising experience from my school’s dance marathon, and I look forward to applying these skills to mental health while gaining new skills and perspectives from the Active Minds team.
What makes you get out of bed each morning?
My desire to make a positive impact on the world around me. Getting out of bed each morning is the first step.
What is your favorite thing about your hometown?
The beautiful mountain scenery and hiking trails.
What are you binge-watching on Netflix/Hulu right now?
Dear White People and rewatching Master of None.
Favorite thing to do in your free time:
Sit outside and listen to music.
If money were no object, where would you go for your next vacation?
Malaysia
Zoe Bock
Where do you go to school? What do you study?
I go to Davidson College. I major in Sociology and minor in Hispanic Studies.
Where did you grow up?
Swarthmore, PA
Which team are you interning for at Active Minds?
Programs
Why did you want to intern at Active Minds?
My college does not have an Active Minds chapter, so I actually came across the organization and internship through a Google search. After seeing a lack of mental health support on my college campus and at my high school, I wanted to engage with and learn from an organization that was actively working with students to reduce mental health stigma and provide resources. Active Minds’ mission feels especially important and relevant to my life and age, and the organization’s statistically proven success gives me hope for the future. I want to do work that helps others, and I thought Active Minds could give me tools to do so.
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
Reconnecting with friends!
What makes you get out of bed each morning?
Looking forward to doing something new or fun so that not every day is exactly the same.
What is your favorite thing about your hometown?
Being able to take walks and bike rides around the neighborhood and on Swarthmore College’s campus!
What are you binge-watching on Netflix/Hulu right now?
Schitt’s Creek & Dead to Me
Favorite thing to do in your free time:
Play games with my family or hang out with friends
If money were no object, where would you go for your next vacation?
Greece
Meera Varma
Where do you go to school? What do you study?
UCLA as part of the Class of 2022. I study psychology!
Where did you grow up?
Burbank, California
Which team are you interning for at Active Minds?
Programs
Why did you want to intern at Active Minds?
Active Minds is where I found my purpose my freshman year of college. It’s what made me realize that mental health activism is my passion and calling. I’m heavily involved with the chapter at UCLA and I am so excited and grateful to be working on the national level!
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
I’m looking forward to seeing how things operate on the national level, and to also help program Send Silence Packing!
What makes you get out of bed each morning?
Knowing that my activism can and is making a change in this world
What is your favorite thing about your hometown?
It’s the media capital of the world! A ton of shows/movies are filmed here: Friends, Ellen, Incredibles, The Big Bang Theory, Shameless…TOO many to count! So grateful that Warner Bros. is in my backyard and I can see how Burbank is the hub of all things media!
What are you binge-watching on Netflix/Hulu right now?
Just finished rewatching Grace and Frankie!
Favorite thing to do in your free time:
Teach myself piano! I just learned “Mia and Sebastian’s Theme” from La La Land!
If money were no object, where would you go for your next vacation?
Australia
Emily Bach
Where will you go to school? What will you study?
I’m an incoming freshman at Columbia University, hopefully studying Political Science, English, and Astrophysics.
Where did you grow up?
Oakton, VA
Which team are you interning for at Active Minds?
Communications
Why did you want to intern at Active Minds?
I’m very passionate about social justice, specifically sexual violence prevention, which is closely connected with mental health. I care deeply about ensuring that all students have access to the resources they need to be safe and think that Active Minds is leading in that conversation right now.
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
Learning more about everything. I love to read, and I’m really excited to find the time to learn more about the people around me and my community.
What makes you get out of bed each morning?
Honestly, a really annoying alarm clock.
What is your favorite thing about your hometown?
It’s very peaceful in the woods, which is something I took for granted for a long time, but have come to recently enjoy.
What are you binge-watching on Netflix/Hulu right now?
Space Force
Favorite thing to do in your free time:
Art journal
If money were no object, where would you go for your next vacation?
Guatemala
Nat Thomas
Where do you go to school? What do you study?
Washington University in St. Louis – Studying Communication Design (graphic design/illustration) and double minoring in Sociology and Chinese
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Boston/Cleveland, but right now home is St. Louis!
Which team are you interning for at Active Minds?
I’m the Graphic Design intern for the Comms team
Why did you want to intern at Active Minds?
In a lot of my life, I have been very closely affected by mental health. I know what mental health means to me, but it means something different to everybody, and that is a huge reason I think the work that Active Minds does to start conversations and facilitate peer support is so incredibly important. Mental health is such a tricky subject for so many people but those discussions hold such a profound impact on communities who are disproportionately affected by mental health crises. I was really excited about the opportunity to work at an organization that holds those values and continues to push the bounds of what allyship means and how that impacts mental health. Each person at Active Minds is so incredible, and I have been so excited to learn with and from everybody here.
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
I am really looking forward to creating graphics that hopefully make the work that Active Minds does even more accessible. To me, graphic design and illustration provide a unique voice that has the power to allow people to have a deeper understanding of content. I’ve loved creating some really fun graphics for pride, and I’m looking forward to keep on making! I’m also looking forward to getting to know the staff and the other interns more and more.
What makes you get out of bed each morning?
I’m really driven by my work and the people in my life that I love, but if I’m being honest, when I wake up the first thing that gets me up is going to make a cup of coffee.
What is your favorite thing about your hometown?
My favorite thing about St. Louis is Forest Park. It is a HUGE public park (bigger than central park) with lots of really amazing scenery and some really great museums.
What are you binge-watching on Netflix/Hulu right now?
Gilmore Girls! Guilty pleasure for sure.
Favorite thing to do in your free time:
I love spending time outside. I’m not a super active person but I LOVE the sun, so I love drawing or reading or just laying outside.
If money were no object, where would you go for your next vacation?
Anywhere in northern Europe! Or anywhere with a beach.
