Meet Shasha Green, one of our undergraduates majoring in public health.
Learn more about the College of Veterinary Medicine’s new public health undergraduate degree program.
Why did you choose to major in public health?
I chose to major in public health because I wanted to be a part of a field that creates real world impacts. I enjoy learning the different ways that public health has shaped the world and improved quality of life. Being able to study those changes and understand how policy, research, and interventions directly affect communities is very interesting and meaningful to me.
What interests you most about the field of public health?
I really love how the field of public health is so vast and that there are so many different specializations and focuses. I don’t feel limited studying public health because there are so many avenues of study, everything from global health, one health, infectious diseases, interventions, and more. And because public health connects to biology, psychology, sociology, and law, there are also so many opportunities for interdisciplinary work and collaboration. There are always new things to learn about and explore in this field.
Are there any particular issues or challenges in public health that you are passionate about addressing?
Growing up in a rural area, I have always been fascinated by the unique challenges that rural communities face in comparison to other areas. I saw how even the simplest thing, such as a lack of transportation affected peoples’ access to health and other opportunities. Being able to do research or work that helps to bridge the health equity gap in rural areas would be very rewarding.
What are your career goals or aspirations with this degree?
I want to go to graduate school to continue studying and doing research in public health. Thanks to the McNair program and my mentor Dr. McBride, I have found my passion for research. I’m not sure what path I will take from there, but I hope to one day return to academia and become a professor so that I can inspire and mentor students like my professors did for me.