Public Health Student Association (PHSA):

I served as the President of the PHSA for the 2022-2023 school year and as the Membership Development Officer for the 2021-2022 school year. As President, I was responsible for agenda setting, leading board activities, liaising between ODU faculty and students, building relationships with the broader public health community, and aiding the rest of the board with their tasks. As the Membership Development Officer, my primary goals included advertising the PHSA by presenting at orientations and similar events, answering student emails about the PHSA, and developing our social media presence. This experience improved my skills in task setting, time management, networking, and organizational goal setting while also improving my professional communication style. As President, I learned the value and importance of delegating tasks and trusting in the abilities of others, especially as a remote student and board member. Through this, I developed an open, engaging, and assertive communication style, which aided me during my remote applied practicum experience with the FDA. 

Study Group Organizer for MPH 632 Environmental and Occupational Health Risk Assessment and STAT 130M Elementary Statistics:

Throughout my time in the BSPH to MPH 4+1 program, I organized study groups for various classes. MPH 632 and STAT 130M were the two where I organized study groups at the most regular intervals. This experience helped me to learn the material and reinforce the material for deeper learning while also giving me the opportunity to learn group management skills. In addition, I learned how to prepare appropriate materials before meetups, keep diverse people engaged and on task, and build two-way communication skills where I was both teacher and student. This two-way communication was one of the most important lessons because it allowed me to be confident and sure but also to admit when I needed help and ask for it in a safe environment meant for learning.

Applied Practicum Experience- Survey Project:

During my time with the U.S. FDA, Center for Tobacco Products, Office of Science, I was tasked with leading a survey analysis project external to the one I will be sharing with ODU as part of my APE. Once the survey was analyzed I had to create a presentation of the results. This experience improved my decision-making skills, taught me to work efficiently with respect for my co-workers time, and to be confident in the knowledge I have. During this project I had to give realistic deadlines, discuss the findings to diverse audiences, and communicate the methodology used. This experience helped me to learn how the federal government expects work to be done, and how to communicate to multiple stakeholders in a real-world setting with real-life consequences. 

Graduate Research Assistant:

For the last few semesters of my MPH journey, I have worked as a graduate research assistant at ODU. The project we are working on required me to recruit study participants, transcribe interviews, aid in coding survey discussions, proof read and offer critique of the article written by the faculty lead, and develop survey questions for further research. As a graduate assistant I learned about the qualitative research process and developed leadership on the personal level. Much of my work was done independently and often with open ended deadlines so I had to learn to pace myself so I could get work completed accurately and in a timely manner. Working on this research gave me the skills I needed to confidently work with the FDA on projects that required similar skills, but with less direction and support.