The VDH Internship Academy has earned new recognition for the experience it provides to emerging professionals.
The Academy was named a 2026 Internships Virginia Top Employer by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). The recognition honors Virginia employers that provide high-quality, paid internships designed to give students real-world opportunities to learn and contribute while strengthening the Commonwealth’s talent pipeline.
Hands-on experience across public health
At VDH, interns do more than observe. They work alongside VDH staff and contribute to projects across a wide range of fields, including public health, environmental health, communications, finance, human resources, information technology and more.
That exposure helps interns see how different roles and disciplines work together to support VDH’s mission to protect the health and promote the well-being of all people in Virginia.
This year, 34 interns were selected from 1,274 applicants for the Academy’s fourth cohort. Since the program began, 127 interns representing 47 colleges and universities across 19 states and Washington, D.C. have participated.
An agencywide investment in interns
The Internship Academy depends on VDH employees throughout the agency who create meaningful assignments, supervise projects, mentor interns and help them build skills they can take into their careers.
The Top Employer designation reflects that commitment to providing interns with valuable professional development while introducing students and recent graduates to VDH as a place where they can put their skills to work for public health.
Looking ahead to Cohort 5
Interested in gaining hands-on experience at VDH? Applications for Cohort 5 open Dec. 18, 2026.
Learn more about the VDH Internship Academy and how to apply.