“I am really interested in community health and supporting rural communities...Eventually, I would like to get my master’s of nursing, and utilize my public health education with clinical training to provide care for different rural communities.”

Do you have a specific area of research in public health that you want to focus on? 

“I am really interested in community health and supporting rural communities; I’m from a rural town in Northern Minnesota, Bemidji. Last summer, I got the opportunity to shadow providers in multiple departments of the IHS Hospital in Red Lake, MN where the Red Lake tribal reservation is located. This sparked my interest in studying the determinants of health, disease trends, and health access for American Indian people. Eventually, I would like to get my master’s of nursing, and utilize my public health education with clinical training to provide care for different rural communities.”

Why did you choose to enroll in the BA in Public Health at the U of M?

“Coming from a small town, I wanted to go to U of M because I wanted to experience a larger campus while still being close to my family. I originally majored in kinesiology and was planning to study physical therapy. But after taking a few classes, I realized it wasn’t for me. Then a family friend told me about how the U of M had just launched a public health undergraduate major, and she encouraged me to check it out. After learning more about the program, I thought it was a great fit for me—and I have loved it! I am so happy I came to the U.”

What has been your favorite class so far?

“My favorite class so far was PUBH 3212: Infectious Disease Outbreaks with Jill DeBoer. She brought in a bunch of guest speakers that helped contextualize some real-world public health experiences, especially since a lot of them were from Minnesota. The course debunked a lot of common misconceptions about diseases, which I found particularly interesting.”

What do you think of the faculty?

“The instructors are all really passionate about their research interests and keep students engaged in current public health issues. I think the faculty try to cater their content to what the students are interested in. Teachers will let us pick the topics for a lot of the projects and assignments, which I find helpful in keeping us engaged.”

Do you have any scholarships, internships, or current work?

“Yes — I got the Herbert E. Olson scholarship that supports students from Bemidji who go to the U. I work at the epidemiology clinical research center as a student admin, and I started volunteering at the Fairview Clinic in the ICU.”

What do you like to do when you’re not in class? 

“I like trying new restaurants and coffee shops with my friends! My favorites right now are Hai Hai and Alma. I’ve made some friends in the program and we’ll go to these restaurants together. I also like going to football and hockey games, skiing, and listening to podcasts. My current favorite podcast is Mel Robbins’, which I bond with my mom over.”