I am from Yorktown Heights, NY, and I chose URI because I immediately fell in love with the campus when I toured it. Everyone is so kind, and I think URI is in such a great spot being close to Newport and Providence. Being close to the beach is also a great touch :). I chose to major in public health because it’s such a broad field of study. It allows you to explore so many different options career wise whether you want to go into environmental health, health promotion, research, or the healthcare industry. 

What surprised me most about URI is all the different majors and the amount of different opportunities you can explore while here. There are so many ways to get involved whether it’s clubs, sports, Greek life, internships, tutoring, etc. I believe that everyone can find something that they are passionate about. 

I was a member of Alpha Xi Delta and Best Buddies which allowed me to be a part of such a great community and meet so many different people. I didn’t have an internship, but I did work as a rehabilitation aide at Newport Hospital, and that experience was life changing. Seeing how physical, occupational, and speech therapists change the lives of people and help individuals live life to their fullest potential was a moment I will never forget. Having this opportunity completely solidified that occupational therapy is the career for me. 

 I would say the biggest strength of being a public health major is having the opportunity to explore different careers and form a good relationship with your professors. As you progress through public health, your class sizes get relatively small allowing you to form close connections with your peers and professors, which I personally love. My favorite memory at URI is meeting my best friends. You truly meet your people here, and I’m so grateful for URI. It truly goes by so fast, don’t take it for granted! 

 My plans for the future are attending Iona University and getting my Masters in Occupational Therapy and then taking my NBCOT to become a certified OT.