Become a Peer Mentor

Maya Britto

Graduation Year: 2027

Home State: Maryland

Majors: Public Health and Neuroscience

Internship Placement: Keswick MultiCare Center

Favorite things to do in Baltimore during the summer: Visiting local farmers’ markets and fairs!

“Hi, my name is Maya Britto and I am a rising junior studying Public Health and Neuroscience. I love dancing (especially with JHU Shakti), painting and watching good movies and shows with friends! I am passionate about health equity and social justice. This summer, I am working at Keswick Multi-Care Center. I am so glad CIIP has given me the opportunity to a work at a place that is so important for many community members!”

 

 

Makaila Hyman

Graduation Year: 2026

Home State: Maryland

Major: Political Science

Internship Placement: Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA)

Favorite thing to do in Baltimore during the summer: Attending food festivals!

“Hi! My name is Makaila Hyman. I’m a Political Science major from Baltimore, Maryland, and a proud member of the Class of 2026. This summer, I’m placed at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs through CIIP, where I support efforts to empower immigrant and refugee communities in Baltimore. In my free time, I love to read, cook, and thrift for unique clothing pieces. I also serve as the Vice President of the Xi Tau Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.”‘

 

Aisha Oyediran

Graduation Year: 2025

Home State: New Jersey

Major: Public Health Studies

Internship Placement: CASA of Baltimore

Favorite things to do in Baltimore during the summer:

I love going to Orioles games and attending various food and art festivals!

“Hi! My name is Aisha Oyediran and I’m a recent graduate who studied Public Health Studies. I’m from North Jersey. I love running, trying new food spots, and working as a research assistant at the Poverty and Inequality Research Lab (PIRL).”

 

Lorenzo Pagan

Graduation Year: 2026

Home State: Pennsylvania

Major: Public Health Studies

Internship Placement: Sheppard’s Clinic

Favorite thing to do in Baltimore during the summer: Social dancing! Especially sunset salsa at the peninsula.

“Hello! My name is Lorenzo and I am heading into my senior year studying Public Health. I am a salsa dancer and also part of JHU’s Latin dance team, Baila. I’m from Reading, PA but having been living in Baltimore since getting into Hopkins.”

 

Greta Persian

Graduation Year: 2027

Home State: Minnesota

Majors: Behavioral Biology and Earth & Planetary Science

Internship Placement: The Beach Project

Favorite things to do in Baltimore during the summer: Thrifting, parades, markets, and trying new coffee and ice cream shops!

“Hey everyone!! My name is Greta Persian and I am originally from Montrose, Minnesota. As a Behavioral Biology and Earth & Planetary Science junior pursuing a minor in Physics, I have been greatly involved in research on campus and plan to get my PhD in biological oceanography or astrobiology upon graduation. On campus, I do cognitive research with both great ape species and dogs, as well as work with extinct rodent dentition. In my free time, I like to fish, SCUBA dive, and try new restaurants. I can’t wait to spend another summer exploring Baltimore as well as working to preserve the natural beauty of the city :)”

 

Mehuli Basu Roy

Graduation Year: 2026

Home State: Texas

Major: Psychology

Internship Placement: Family Survivor Network

Favorite things to do in Baltimore during the summer: Attending Baltimore Pride and volunteering with Planned Parenthood!

“My name is Mehuli Basu Roy, and I am a senior majoring in Psychology with minors in Math and the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. I am from Austin, Texas. I like to bake, watch TV, and explore art and food in Baltimore. At Hopkins, I am involved with Advocates for Reproductive and Sexual Health, JHU 4Rare, Witness Theater, research, and volunteering. I hope to become a clinical psychologist and help make mental health care more accessible!”

Dua Hussain 26′

Hometown: New Castle, DE
Majors: Anthropology & Medicine, Science, and the Humanities- concentration in Writing Seminars
2024 Placement: Keswick Multi-Care Center

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

 

In resident art, we had a pop-up class in which a poet came in to teach about how to write poetry. In that class, the residents spent a lot of time reflecting on their lives and writing about it. It became very emotional, but I will never forget that day because of how much I learned about them and their lives. I got closer to some of the residents and it made the rest of my summer so much better.Seeing Inside Out with my mentees

Makaila Hyman 26′

Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Majors: Political Science
2024 Placement: Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience this summer was seeing Inside Out 2 with my mentees!

 

Nicole Rivas 24′

Hometown: Cheverly, MD
Majors: International Studies, minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies
2024 Placement: Asylee Women Enterpise

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience this summer was participating in Community Lunches and getting to know the Asylee Women Enterpise community, including AWE clients (asylum seekers), volunteers, and my colleagues. I also enjoyed the Scavenger hunt around Baltimore with my mentees!

 

Anusha Sarkar 24′

Hometown: Chester, NJ
Majors: Public Health, Cognitive Science
2024 Placement: Esperanza Center

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience this summer was a team lunch we took to celebrate one of the staff member’s birthdays. I got to try food from a local restaurant I hadn’t been to before, and hear the stories of how some of the staff came to America and why they choose to work with the immigrant population in Baltimore City. I really enjoyed being able to connect with the team more and to hear their amazing stories and histories in the city.

 

Bersabe Tilahun

2024 Placement: MOMCares

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite part of this internship was the alignment with my personal passion for assisting marginalized communities, particularly as I became more aware of the profound disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black women.

 

 

 

 

Frank Meng ’24

Hometown: San Jose, CA
Majors: English, Sociology
2023 Placement: Baltimore City Public Schools Engagement Office

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

Working with wonderful people and mentors who equipped me with not only reflective and honest feedback that helped me professionally but also life lessons that revolutionized my understanding of how to be a good advocate and a lifelong civil servant.

 

 

 

Carlos Gamboa ’25

Hometown: Miami, FL
Majors: International Studies, Public Health
2023 Placement: The Office of Councilmember Zeke Cohen

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience from last summer was attending a community meeting in Upper Fells Point. I provided updates on district-wide initiatives while also collecting questions and concerns from local residents to share with Councilmember Cohen. This experience, and other opportunities I had to engage with the citizens of Baltimore, forged a connection between me and the community.

 

Diksha Iyer ’25

Hometown: Dearborn, MI
Majors: Public Health, Economics
2023 Placement: Out For Justice

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

I loved the weekly BITES sessions with my CIIP cohort that were hosted by the CSC. Each week, I found my previous knowledge and conceptions about the topics discussed challenged and reshaped. It was a wonderful experience to be able to go through eye-opening discussions about the various roots of inequality and possible solutions with a group of diverse peers.

 

Rebecca Baxter ’25

Hometown: Olney, MD
Majors: Biomedical Engineering
2023 Placement: Corner Team Inc.

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

The scavenger hunt during orientation!

 

 

 

 

Estelle Yeung ’24

Hometown: Clinton, NJ
Majors: Public Health, International Studies
2023 Placement: Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience from last summer was helping to staff BHRC’s policy advocacy campaign for overdose prevention sites at NoMu NoMu!

 

 

 

 

Brahein Richardson ’23

Hometown: Sicklerville, NJ
Majors: Chemistry, Spanish
2023 Placement: The Black Church Food Security Network

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

Traveling to North Carolina to visit some of the Black Farms within BCFSN’s network.

 

 

 

 

Mimi Avril ’25

Hometown: Miami, FL
Majors: Psychology, Public Health
2023 Placement: Center Baltimore Partnership

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience during the summer was the activity we did during orientation, where half of us formed a circle sitting on the ground, and the other half walked around and gave taps and light touches in response wonderful feelings we gave each other. I cried because I felt so touched, appreciated, and embraced.

 

Fatima Baloul ’25

Hometown: Alexandria, VA
Majors: Public Health
2022 Placement: Shepherd’s Clinic

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

Meeting life-long friends through CIIP 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Genesis Aire ’23

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My internship last summer was entirely remote except for the last day when there was a field day for the Denters at Patterson Park. It was my most memorable experience from last summer because I was able to meet my coworkers and Denters in person for the first time. It was really fun playing all these games and competing with the kids.

 

 

Caroline Colvin ’23

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

Weekly Bites of Baltimore Sessions!

 

 

 

Deleted: Siena DeFazio ’23

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

National Night Out where I got to run a political education game I created to incite discourse about food access.

 

 

 

Sigrid Edson ’23

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience from last summer was supporting logistics for community events at the Ynot Lot, a public event space in Station North. Doing this work, I got the chance to meet many amazing artists and community organizers working in Baltimore, learn new practical skills, and start to feel at home in a new neighborhood of the city.

 

Cionne Gates ’23

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience was leading a poetry workshop on the last day of summer camp for the age group (3-7 yrs old) I’ve been working with the entire summer. They made acrostic and free verse poems with their names or positive experiences they cherished during their time with me as a teacher, and it was very heartwarming to witness.

 

Laís Santoro ’23

Hometown: Downingtown, PA
Majors: Public Health and Environmental Studies
2021 Placement: Whitelock Community Farm

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

I loved hearing stories from community members and talking to the people that would walk by the farm, even if it was a 30 second interaction or a 30 minute one and they stuck by to chat. We also had community meals most Fridays and used produce on the farm, shared a meal and some love !!

 

Stacey Tang ’24

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

My favorite experience from last summer was watching the students that I worked with at Thread grow throughout their entire summer school program. Seeing them open up more and more and engage in the activities I prepared was super rewarding and fulfilling experience.

Koye Oputa ’24

What was your favorite experience from last summer?

I enjoyed getting to know ERICA and AWE program participants, some of whom I am still in contact with today!