MPH

Maeve Jones, my sister, feeding my Grandpa. He suffered a stroke in September of 2019 and was in a skilled nursing facility from then until he passed in December of 2021. He declined more rapidly during COVID, and this picture was taken 6 months before his passing. Photo courtesy of Melissa Jones

The reality of COVID-19 in assisted living facilities

Morgan Jones

“In my year and a half working at a nursing home, I bonded with many residents while also watching many of them pass. The relationships I formed were very personally impactful, but I realized that we could be doing more to address the systemic issues affecting nursing homes.”

Childhood photo of the author sitting at table eating a sandwich.

The Smallest in the Class

Hailey Jurgens

“Growing up, I was always the smallest child in the class. Not only was I short, but I was also thin, sometimes surprisingly so. Doctors were always scaring my parents by telling them that I was falling behind the “normal” growth chart and encouraging them to make me eat more.”