The most fascinating part of public health for Olivia Rockwell, who graduated in April 2023 with a Master of Public Health in Health Management and Policy from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, is how societies address accessibility of healthcare in rural areas because individuals located in rural areas typically have fewer choices.
First-generation college grad Brandon Bond leaves few opportunities on the table. He’s pursuing dual master’s degrees, his very first flight was to a foreign country, and he’s gearing up for doctoral studies. Bond’s adventurous spirit is helping him build bridges between communities and the policies that affect them.
Lauren Balotin wants to understand the health impacts of climate change—one of the largest public health crises of our generation—so she can help communities adapt. To do so, she knows the science will need to go hand in hand with great communication.
With growing experience in epidemiology and health policy, master’s student Payton Watt is pursuing her passion for improving health in lower income populations. She continues to examine a pandemic that revealed flaws in US health care and how better policy can ensure access to basic needs.
Kaitlyn Akel combines her study of history and biology with her passion for public health to protect entire populations. From urban health to vaccine hesitancy to environmental health, Akel’s work connects academic and cultural insights to provide broader understandings of community health.
Kennedy Dubose studies public health not only for personal and intellectual reasons but also for what she sees as moral, ethical imperatives. Growing up, she saw public health systems failing Black communities. With a combination of local and global training, she is looking to promote more equitable community health in Detroit and around the globe.