Ashley Babyak once dreamed of being a physician. But after multiple internships at NCI at Frederick, she realized she could also make a difference as a laboratory scientist, and she now seeks to protect public health by researching infectious diseases.

You’re probably familiar with NCI at Frederick’s Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program, but did you know that the organization’s involvement in Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) goes much further?

The NCI at Frederick Scientific Library recently hosted the popular Student Science Jeopardy Tournament for the 12th year running. Nine teams of summer student interns competed for the chance to be named Jeopardy champion.

Each year at NCI at Frederick, high school student interns stand shoulder to shoulder with their undergraduate and graduate-school colleagues to share posters about their scientific research and enhance their communication and networking skills.

After spending a total of five years as an intern for Occupational Health Services (OHS), former Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) intern Esther Shafer moved across the country to join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She now works on a reservation in southern Arizona, where she is providing medicine—and reading material—for the Tohono O-odham Nation.