Naila I Siddiqui (2025)
Growing up, I knew I wanted to work in the sciences and help people, but the path to get there was always a little bit fuzzy for me. That was until I was accepted into the Mile High Phages Program. This internship gifted me clarity and hands-on experience in a way I never expected; I got to conduct my own research, work with a team in a true lab environment, network with and learn from researchers, doctors, and leaders in their fields, and take part in many other amazing opportunities. From day one, our mentors explained not just what we were doing, but why it mattered. Daily discussions with researchers and physicians exposed me to diverse career paths and helped me envision my future with confidence. This program is more than just an internship; every person involved in the program, from the mentors running it to the people who donated time to visit and talk to the interns to the interns themselves, cares deeply about it and has shaped it into the life-changing opportunity it is. Mile High Phages didn’t just strengthen my research abilities; it gave me direction, community, and a deeper understanding of what it means to contribute meaningfully to science.
