Jeida Robertson soars to great heights as a long and triple jump athlete for the Jackson State University women’s track team, but she is raising the bar even higher in the research laboratory.
The freshman chemistry major and native of Gaithersburg, Md., was recently selected as an intern for the National Institutes of Health, where she will conduct research with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
Robertson says the internship opportunity is a dream come true.
“I want to help people out, but I also want to find the cures to many different things,” she said.
The National Institutes of Health, a part of the U.S. Department of Health, is the nation’s medical research agency—making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems.
During the internship, Robertson will observe obesity in children and watch and study their growth and eating habits, as well other characteristics to determine when, and if, they will develop diabetes.
Robertson was actually accepted into two different programs at NIH.
“I got accepted into this one and a cancer research internship in Frederick, Maryland. I went through at least 10 interviews on both sides,” Robertson said.
With NIH being a top research institute, Robertson wasn’t sure of her chances of getting the internship.
“I’m competing against graduate students,” she said.
Robertson had a breakthrough phone conversation with NICHD employee, Jack Yanovski
“He said ‘You are the person I’ve been looking for. We’re going to set this up right now. I’m going to offer you the job.’”
Robertson’s internship will be a paid eight-week summer position. She hopes that this is the start of a lasting relationship with NIH.
As for the future, Robertson hopes to get a job with NIH to conduct research and find cures for diseases.
Robertson is a proud Jacksonian and also contributes much of her success to JSU.
“I knew I wanted to go to an HBCU,” she said. “I got accepted to Spellman, Howard, Tuskegee, and Jackson State, of course.”
“I chose Jackson State because both my mom and dad went to Jackson State. My aunt ran track at Jackson State. My uncles came to Jackson State. My cousin was Miss JSU,” she said. “Basically, my whole family on both sides came to Jackson State. I have a lot of history down here.”
—Darrell Robinson, Jr.