This past week marked my first full week at my placement site, Michael D. Baker Incorporated (MDB, Inc.), as well as my first experience navigating a packed Metro during commute hours. The metro system is one of DC’s great wonders in my mind – it’s something about the exposure to different flavors of people. To be in a city that is pulsing with a vast range of backgrounds, so drawn to this experience that I forget about the rush to compete for a spot to sit.
As a first-generation college student, I have struggled to understand how to explore career paths in environmental science. I have felt behind, unsure which direction to take. After one week at MDB, however, I have already gained something invaluable: exposure.
Rather than being limited to one role, I have an opportunity to contribute across several areas of MDB. Through this experience, I will learn more about environmental engineering, public health, and the ways scientific research can be communicated to different audiences.
I am especially excited to develop my skills in research translation, which involves making complex scientific information accessible to the public. I have spent years refining my writing to meet scholarly and academic standards, so learning to adapt for broader audiences presents an exciting new challenge. I am curious to see how this skill will shape my future work. It also connects meaningfully to my experience with NAFHSA by allowing me to give back to my community and make the often-unfamiliar worlds of environmental science and public health easier to understand.
I also feel fortunate to be working near another member of my cohort, Sayra Agustin. During our lunches, we have explored different spots around downtown and bonded over the excitement, challenges, and new experiences that come with interning in such an incredible city.
I can already imagine these lunches becoming a refreshing weekly ritual – to keep me grounded, to remind me that I am not navigating this experience in D.C. alone. I am excited to see how my cohort members and I continue to grow while contributing to meaningful work at our respective placements.
I closed out the week alongside Hannia Mendoza, an alum of NAFHSA’s 2025 cohort, cheering from the barricades at D.C.’s Pride Parade. A joyful reminder that this journey is as much about community and connection as it is about professional growth.
Blog Author: César Galindo – Class of 2026
Published on July 2, 2026