Master of Public Health student Bianca Cureton isn’t waiting until graduation to start making a difference. With her anticipated graduation set for May 2026, Bianca is already taking bold steps toward a career in behavioral health through the prestigious Governor’s Summer Internship program.
This summer, she will serve as the Behavioral Health Workforce Development Intern with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA), a competitive, hands-on opportunity that places students directly in the heart of Indiana’s public service landscape.
Bianca discovered the internship through the Work for Indiana website, a job board she regularly browses for professional opportunities. After signing up for email alerts, she started seeing regular notifications about new openings, including those tied to the Governor’s Summer Internship program. When she noticed postings aligned with her interests in public health and the behavioral sciences, she decided to take the leap and apply.
And she’s glad she did.
“The process started with a general application, résumé and cover letter, followed by a brief first interview that felt more like a conversation,” Bianca recalls. “Then I had a second interview that focused more on situational and behavioral questions. A few days later, I got a call offering me the position.”
While the selection process might seem intimidating at first, Bianca encourages other students to trust their skills and go for it.
“Just because it’s a well-known program doesn’t mean you won’t get in,” she says. “Take your time to find the position that aligns with your professional goals. Don’t count yourself out before you try.”
For Bianca, the internship offers a chance to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. In particular, she’s excited to engage with stakeholders across sectors and gather feedback to improve behavioral health workforce development resources, a perfect complement to what she’s been learning in her S664 Program Evaluation course.
“It’ll be great to put those skills to use and contribute in a meaningful way,” she says.
She’s also preparing by researching the structure and functions of DMHA, aiming to better understand how her department collaborates across teams.
“I want to be able to visualize those relationships and be as effective as possible when working with others across the agency,” she explains.
During her time with DMHA, Bianca hopes to learn more about how state government operates and how public health departments intersect with other sectors. She’s also eager to gain hands-on experience supporting grant recipients, a skill she believes will broaden her professional toolkit and expose her to budgeting and proposal development.
As she prepares for the start of her internship, Bianca’s story is a reminder that bold moves often start with a simple “yes.” Whether it’s browsing job listings, applying for a new opportunity, or stepping into a high-visibility program, she’s proving that professional growth is well within reach for students willing to take that first step.
Her advice for fellow MPH students?
“Go for it. You’re more ready than you think.”
Leave a Reply