Extending an internship into a yearlong learning experience
Sophia Steinert, BA ’26
Community and Global Public Health
By Bob Cunningham
Sophia Steinert’s interest in public health didn’t begin with a textbook or a class. It started in doctor’s offices and hospitals, watching her mom and grandmother navigate the healthcare system after learning they both carried a cancer-related gene mutation.
“Seeing how much of a difference that prevention made for them really stuck with me,” said Steinert, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Community and Global Public Health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. “It showed me that catching a medical issue early, or even just having the correct access to information, can completely change someone’s path of life.”
But it wasn’t just the medical care that caught her attention. It was something else—something most patients don’t usually think about.
“Watching my mom and my grandma’s healthcare providers communicate with multiple departments and manage their care effectively with the help of resources within the health system really inspired me,” Steinert said. “It made me realize how effective management and organization of care can positively impact a patient's quality of life.”
Now a senior at Michigan Public Health, Steinert has turned those early observations into a thriving career path. She’s currently extending what started as a summer internship with Populance, a population health management subsidiary of Henry Ford Health, through May. And she's already lined up another internship for next summer with Ascension’s Resource Group.
Her secret? Starting early, asking for what she wants, and recognizing valuable opportunities when they appear.
Watching my mom and my grandma’s healthcare providers communicate with multiple departments and manage their care effectively with the help of resources within the health system really inspired me.”
Finding her path
Born in New Jersey, Steinert moved to Dexter, Michigan—just 20 minutes from Ann Arbor—when she was 11. Growing up near campus, she often heard her dad describe being a Wolverine as “the blueprint for excellence.”
“Those words really stuck with me when I was deciding where I wanted to go to college,” Steinert said. “I chose Michigan specifically because I felt like it was the right place to grow into the kind of healthcare leader that I’m aspiring to be.”
Her family’s experiences pointed her toward the School of Public Health, where she chose the Bachelor of Arts program because of her interest in healthcare administration.
“I thought that the Community and Global Public Health degree was a bit more tailored toward that route of public health,” she said.
Steinert didn’t wait until her senior year to gain experience. In May 2023, she joined the Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes Research Team (CanSORT) at Michigan Medicine through the University Research Opportunity Program (UROP). Her favorite project examined the relationship between genetic testing and cancer-linked genes—directly connected to her family’s story.
“This research has always been extremely meaningful to me,” Steinert said. “Having the chance to explore a topic that has impacted my family has allowed me to feel deeply connected to the work that we're doing.”
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More than an internship
In May 2025, Steinert began what was supposed to be a standard 10-week summer internship with Populance, working as a healthcare administrative intern on the program development team. The company focuses on providing value-based care and lowering costs for high-risk patients.
Working with her manager, Illana Hearshen, Steinert dove into process optimization, proposing innovative solutions to streamline workflows and enhance productivity across Populance’s departments.
“Illana’s been really instrumental throughout my internship,” Steinert said. “Her mentorship has allowed me to explore my different interests within administration, which has included operations, project management and finance."
Steinert also managed vendor relationships and took on the role of project manager for a transition of care initiative across Henry Ford Health. In that project, she collaborates with three cross-functional task forces to improve workflows for case managers while enhancing patient outcomes.
“In this role, I’ve had the chance to dive into work that aligns with the type of healthcare administrative work that I want to do long-term,” Steinert said.
As August approached and her internship was scheduled to end, Steinert realized she wasn’t ready to leave. So, she made a bold decision—she asked to stay.
“I loved it so much that I went to my manager, and I was like, hey, if there’s any way that I can stay on the team in a part-time aspect throughout the rest of my senior year at Michigan, I’d love to do so,” Steinert said.
Her manager agreed.
“I was ecstatic when Sophia asked to extend her internship because I could envision her continuing work that she began over the summer, along with providing ongoing support to our team through project and vendor program management support,” Hearshen said. “Sophia has proved herself to be a reliable and seasoned team member as we have navigated several transitions, and her support has been essential in ensuring that our team continues to deliver optimal service to Populance and the customers we serve. It truly has been a pleasure to have Sophia as an intern these past seven months.”
What started as a structured 10-week summer program has become a year-long opportunity running through May 2026.
“Overall, the internship has definitely solidified my interest in healthcare administration,” Steinert said. “I’ve been able to work on practical, hands-on projects that have made a difference within Populance and Henry Ford Health.”
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Planning ahead
While still working part-time at Populance during her senior year, Steinert was already thinking about next summer. And she started looking early—very early.
“For both times, I started in September of the year before,” said Steinert, offering advice to her peers and prospective students. “You could miss an internship that really aligns with what you want to do because you didn’t look early enough.”
Her proactive approach paid off again.
Next summer, she will work as a field integration intern at the Resource Group, a subsidiary of Ascension. Because Ascension recently merged with Henry Ford Health, she will be working at Henry Ford Providence Novi Hospital, collaborating with integration leaders to support hospital operations and drive process improvement initiatives.
“I’m super excited to see firsthand how operational integration works within a large healthcare organization like Ascension,” Steinert said. “I think that this internship will really allow me to build upon my current experience at Populance and dive deeper into the hospital side of things.”
I really think it’s important to believe in yourself and never doubt your ambitions. These motivations will only make you a better public health professional in today’s world.”
Overcoming self-doubt
Despite her impressive track record, Steinert admits she's battled feelings of imposter syndrome—especially early in her college career.
“I’ve always been one to take on a lot of extracurriculars to help develop my passions and skills,” she said. “But with that has come moments where I’ve questioned if I was qualified enough to contribute to a space where there were experienced professionals.”
Her solution? Learning to trust herself and her abilities.
“Being put in positions where I've had to be a leader—such as through my management of cross-functional teams within my internship—has really allowed me to recognize my strengths,” Steinert said.
Her advice to other students is clear: “I really think it’s important to believe in yourself and never doubt your ambitions. These motivations will only make you a better public health professional in today’s world.”
Balancing her research position, part-time internship, and full course load requires serious time management.
“It can be a lot—I’m not going to lie,” Steinert said. But she’s learned the importance of balance: “You definitely don’t want to skip personal time, especially when you have a crazy schedule.”
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Looking to the future
In Fall 2026, Steinert will return to Michigan Public Health to pursue a Master of Health Services Administration from the Department of Health Management and Policy. Long-term, her goals center on making healthcare systems work better for patients—just like the ones that helped her family.
“My goal is to work in a hospital or health system as a healthcare administrator, where I can help implement strategic initiatives that improve patient outcomes and quality of care,” Steinert said. “I’ve been drawn to the idea of connecting big-picture goals with day-to-day operations to make sure that changes are not only effective, but also sustainable.
“I think an internship is vital to having a robust experience within public health, and I’ve been able to connect it with my coursework at Michigan Public Health. That's been essential in making sure that I feel prepared for a future career in this space.”
