As a health services management student deeply committed to health equity and hands-on learning, Katie Mumaugh has found her stride serving Indianapolis communities through her internship at Eskenazi Health. With a strong belief in the power of service, she’s spent the past academic year supporting initiatives that tackle food and diaper insecurity; work that recently earned her the prestigious title of Student Employee of the Year for Community Service at Indiana University Indianapolis.
“Receiving the award was incredibly rewarding,” Katie shared. “It felt like all my work from the entire school year had been recognized. Community service has always been a huge part of my life, so this meant a lot to me.”
Katie, who plans to graduate in May 2027 with minors in global health and community health, is interning with Eskenazi Health’s social determinants of health team, where she supports two innovative projects focused on food and diaper insecurity. Both efforts directly serve vulnerable communities across Indianapolis, and both are deeply personal to Katie.
One of Katie’s main roles involves the medically and culturally tailored food pantry project, which surveys patients on health needs and culturally preferred food items.
“We’re working with a volunteer chef to create nutritious, culturally specific meals,” Katie explained. “I help translate survey responses and enter data into RedCap so the team can tailor food pantries to the communities we serve.”
Her second project focuses on pediatric diaper need and resource allocation, which studies the impact of diaper insecurity on families.
“I go into Eskenazi clinics to collect surveys, then enter the results for analysis,” she said. The findings are being used to develop resource strategies and may soon be published in an academic paper.
The stories Katie has encountered through this work have stayed with her.
“I’ve seen how families, especially among Haitian Creole and Spanish-speaking immigrant populations, are making impossible choices,” she said. “Parents have shared stories of using clothes or towels when they can’t afford diapers, or sacrificing basic needs to provide for their children.”
That insight inspired Katie to dive deeper into diaper need through a separate class project, researching its impact on both parent and child mental health.
“It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also lit a fire in me,” she said. “I want to dedicate my career to addressing these kinds of health disparities.”
Katie’s commitment to service extends well beyond her internship. On campus, she serves as service chair of the Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, organizing monthly volunteer opportunities across Indianapolis.
“We’ve worked with Exodus Refugee, the Indianapolis Zoo, Wheeler Mission, Indy Reads, and more,” she said. “I’ve completed over 25 service hours this year and try to find organizations that share strong values and missions that align with mine.”
Her leadership and heart for service have roots in her upbringing.
“I’m one of seven siblings, and my parents always instilled in us the value of serving others,” Katie said. “We volunteered together growing up, especially at our church’s food pantry. That foundation has really shaped who I am.”
When Katie found out she had won Student Employee of the Year, she was overwhelmed with gratitude.
“My supervisor, Dr. Deanna Reinoso, came to the ceremony and cheered the loudest when my name was called,” she said. “I’m so lucky to be part of such a supportive team.”
Katie consistently worked the maximum allowed 10 hours per week, even during breaks, to support the social determinants of health team. “They’re doing such important work,” she said. “It means the world to me to contribute to that mission.”
Katie’s adventure is evidence that internships can be powerful, transformative experiences. Her advice to other students?
“Find something you’re passionate about. When you’re genuinely interested, it doesn’t feel like work, it feels like purpose,” she said. “Talk to your professors and supervisors. Learn from them. They want to help you succeed.”
Katie hopes to continue her work in health equity after graduation, ideally with a nonprofit healthcare organization.
“This internship helped me realize exactly where I want to be,” she said. “Doing work that matters, for people who need it most.”