Erin Wilke had a great job in a state she loved, but she wanted to grow. After completing a bachelor's degree in public health, she started working as a research coordinator within the orthopedic department of the Medical University of South Carolina. She did not want to uproot her life.
Undergraduate public health student Reem Fawaz always wanted to make an impact in her community. She began her journey to medical school, then decided to include in her education a public health foundation, which she says is vital to achieving her goal of building healthier communities.
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.
Keeping workers safe while on the job is a passion for master’s student Cassie Gaskins, especially as new technologies present new challenges. With the construction and energy industries booming in Michigan, she will have plenty of opportunities to apply her expertise.
Suzanne Cole absorbs the energy and optimism of public health students and shares it right back with them, consistently creating an environment of positive energy in the classroom. She encourages students to consider how course materials connect to professional goals, sharpening both their intellectual curiosity and their passion for population health.
Want to spend lots of time outside, meet new people, and see engineering and business processes from the inside out? Then consider studying industrial hygiene, says Sarah Gharib, who reminds us that environmental health sciences is not only an exciting field but one that empowers you to apply your science and engineering skills to help people.