• Hometown: Pawtucket, RI
• Specialization: Health promotion

Why did you choose URI?

I chose URI because of the vast amount of majors to choose from. Like many high school graduates, I did not know where my collegiate path would lie. I did know, however, that with all of the resources URI provides, and the extensive list of majors, choosing a field of study would be feasible. Not to mention the beautiful campus scenery!

Why did you decide to major in Health Studies?

I chose Health Studies because I knew I wanted to change the overall health of my community members, but knew that individual healthcare was not the means for me to make the impact I had in mind. Through all of the resources available on campus, combined with my own exploratory research into majors, I knew Health Studies was just the major to set me on track to focusing on population health.

What has been the best part of majoring in Health Studies?

The best part to majoring in Health Studies is the course content. In just about every course for this major, we learn about current issues affecting our world, our nation, and even our state. The professor’s work vigorously to provide course content that is both interesting and pertinent to today’s issues. I think this is one of the best parts because it then becomes almost effortless to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to real world scenarios, especially in the workplace. The second best part are the professor’s, who truly do care about shaping the minds of future public health professionals.

What do you consider to be the biggest strength of Health Studies?

The biggest strength to majoring in Health Studies is the variation in courses that we are able to take. As a Health Studies major, we can choose to take classes in Kinesiology, Nutrition, Psychology, Nursing and so much more. Because of this, we learn about public health from a number of different perspectives, broadening our scope of knowledge. With this variation in perspectives, we are able to apply our knowledge to just about any scenario.

What experiential learning opportunities have you had at URI?

I have had the opportunity to work for the Hospital Association of Rhode Island as a Patient Safety Coordinator, where my role was to extract and analyze the data from state hospitals on patient safety initiatives. I also had the opportunity to work as a Health Literacy Assessment student data collector for a research study conducted by RIC and URI to assess health literacy levels among patients at various Providence Community Health Centers. Both positions helped me to apply course content in a real world setting.

What is next for you?

I have accepted a Research Assistant position at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at Miriam Hospital in Rhode Island. I will be devoting several years to gaining professional experience in the field of public health prior to completing a masters of public health (MPH) in epidemiology, where I plan to identify the specific diseases and social determinants of health affecting my community members.

Any advice for students majoring in Health Studies?

Explore all your options. Health Studies is such a broad field that can be taken in any direction, which is actually a really beneficial thing! Try not to limit yourself to well known public health professions. Through different courses and experiential learning experiences, you will be exposed to a vast majority of different professions that many people aren’t aware of. By keeping your options open to all professional possibilities, you will be pleasantly surprised by the kind of opportunities that will come your way.

What surprised you the most about URI?

The amount of learning resources/opportunities available to students surprised me the most. I knew there was an academic center to help with gaining internships, but I didn’t realize how many more resources would be available. For example, the Health Studies page on Sakai sends many announcements with internship/job opportunities pertaining to our major. Also, the director of Health Studies (Dr. Greaney) has started a Health Studies Instagram page to promote opportunities and showcase student efforts! Who knew we’d have social media as a resource for learning opportunities!