We’re so excited to welcome our new MPH students that already have a passion for public health! Below are highlights of some of our students starting this semester.
Austen Day has a background in Neuroscience and Global Public Health. While he originally thought he would pursue medical school, his studies led him on a different path. Austen notes, “As I learned more about the medical field, I came to understand that through policy and outreach, public health offers a powerful way to create a lasting impact.” Austen is excited to enter the MPH program to gain tools to prevent disease through systematic change.
Kimberly Mugaisi has long held a passion for public health. She earned her B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Health and Medicine from the University of Virginia, where she conducted qualitative research on chronic illness and resilience among middle-aged African American women. She is continuing her studies through the MPH 4+1 program with a concentration in Research and Practice. She’s most excited to deepen her skills in community-based research. Her eventual goal is to work in public health consulting and help develop meaningful, accessible healthcare strategies. A fun fact about Kimberly: “I traveled to rural Panama to learn more about public health abroad, which was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had!”
Claire Moody recently graduated from Denison University with a Bachelor of Arts in Global Health and Psychology. She participated in research during undergrad by conducting a longitudinal study focused on the overprescribing of medications to older adults and women. She also completed a semester-long capstone project on maternal health. Claire notes, “During my undergraduate studies, I was drawn to public health because of its unique blend of the sciences and humanities, both of which play a critical role in shaping population health.” She is particularly excited about the MPH program’s interdisciplinary approach and wants to hone her research skills to advise health policy reform.
Cullen Boyd is pursuing an MBA/MPH dual degree. Cullen’s path to public health started while he was serving at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research & Burn Center. Through that experience he saw how systems and policy directly impact the care people receive. He is excited to learn skills to build a more accessible and effective healthcare system and apply those skills as a healthcare consultant in the future. Cullen shared a fun fact: “I’ve taken cooking classes in 9 different countries, soon to be 13 after this summer.”
Ace Rogers is continuing her studies through the MPH 4+1 program (with a concentration Health Policy, Law and Ethics) after graduating this past May from UVA with a bachelor’s in Global Studies (concentration in Global Public Health) and a minor in English. Ace’s interest in keeping people healthy was inspired by her parents’ work in the healthcare field. Through her Global Public Health studies, Ace became interested in promoting positive health outcomes at a population level. Ace outlines her undergraduate experiences: “I have three years of experience in college health promotion as a Peer Health Educator during undergrad, have studied comparative healthcare systems and public health policy abroad in Scandinavia, and have volunteered in rural dental clinics in Honduras.” Ace is most excited to learn more about the entire process of health policy research. Her career goal is to lead or assist with this process on a local, state, or national level. A few fun facts about Ace: she has taken voice and piano lessons and is now trying to teach herself guitar, she loves running and is planning to train for the Charlottesville Ten Miler, and she has a golden retriever named Brie back home in Richmond.
Alex Culver is very excited to return to Charlottesville as a double Hoo, having graduated with a B.A. in History and Biology in 2021. He is looking forward to adding to his medical training in Norfolk with our MPH program. Alex notes, “I hope to combine my passion and research in psychiatry with the data analytical skills, research design practices, and eye for health policy that I could not learn anywhere else!”
Welcome to all of our new students!