Where Public Health Begins: Learning, Leading & Taking the Leap with Lady Dorothy Elli

The second episode of the IDEA Exchange Podcast, Where Public Health Begins: Learning, Leading, and Taking the Leap, features Lady Dorothy Elli. Lady is a former This Is Public Health Ambassador and public health professional, currently serving as a Princeton in Asia Fellow and an MPH graduate of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. 

Tune in as Lady reflects on her early pathways into public health, the importance of global learning experiences, and the courage required to lead and take informed risks. This episode will highlight how emerging leaders are shaping the future of our field with purpose and resolve.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Idea Exchange, a podcast from the Idea Institute here at the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. I'm your host, Miranda Bossey, and today I am very happy to be joined by Lady Dorothy Ellie, who is a recent MPH graduate, a This Is Public Health Ambassador, and now a Princeton and Asia fellow. Lady, I am so happy and excited to be talking with you today about your journey into public health and also about how your experiences have shaped where you are today. So thank you so much for joining us.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Yes, and I'm so happy to be here. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Yeah, thank you. So first, I really want to go back to the beginning, going back to the start of kind of what got you into public health in the first place. So, really, what drew you to the field? And for you, was there any sort of defining moment when it really clicked for you, you know, that this is the field of public health, that this is what you are meant to be doing?

SPEAKER_02 0:59

Yes. So I think everybody right now, I mean, these these uh these days, people have been saying public health is everywhere. And, you know, you can relate everything in your life to public health, and I can definitely relate to that saying. Um, I grew up, I was born and raised in a small province in the Philippines, and then I moved to the United States at the age of 17. So when I lived in the Philippines, I was born and raised in this small province, and it was this semi-urban area, and we would go there, we would attend classes there because my mom would make sure that we had the best education possible that we could receive. Now, when it was summertime during the summers, we would move to the rural side of my province to be able to visit my dad's side of the family. From that experience, I was able to see that basic necessities like getting clean water, being able to have food on the table, and so on and so forth. Those were a luxury for the people that lived there, for my family members from my dad's side that lived there. And so I remember little girls who were my age at that time, they would already be quitting school to be able to help their families out in the fields and to be able to put food on the table for my family. And so I think it was very important to think of that because I didn't even have a language for public health at that time. I didn't even know what public health was at that time when I lived in the Philippines. And it is true what they say that public health is everywhere because I experienced it. You know, the lack of access to transportation to be able to get to the nearest hospital, you had to take a bus, and that was a two-hour ride. All of those experiences I think were very important for me to take note of at a young age. Now, obviously, growing up later on, I immigrated to the United States. I studied public health in college. I did not really discover what my niche was in global health until later on. So I was applying to these MPH programs my senior year. I was also getting ready for graduation. So it was just a lot. And on top of that, I received this message from my sister. We have these like this um for a lot of immigrant families, you know, we always have these WhatsApp group groups. So she texted me. She texted our family group chat and she sent a photo and she was with my great aunt. So something important to remember is that my great aunt raised me and my two older sisters.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

And she basically devoted her life raising all of us and making sure that we were these independent women who made sure that we got good education and we lived a good life. So she sent a picture, and my great-aunt at that time was in the hospital. That was also the peak of COVID-19. So we couldn't even travel to visit her when she was sick. And basically, she was there because she experienced complications caused by tuberculosis, and she eventually passed away because of complications due to TB, due to tuberculosis. And that is also public health, you know. And through that experience, I realized that public health is such an important tool. And looking back at it, I would definitely, you know, look at my great aunt as the symbol of how I realized, you know, global health is a path for me. And I want to be able to ensure that people have the education and the resources so that they wouldn't experience, you know, the same things that my aunt experienced, the same things that the relatives from my dad's side of the family experience in that rural area in the Philippines. And I don't think that people understand that in our world today, a lot of people still live those lives and a lot of people are still experiencing those same experiences. And so I think with the role that I have with global health, I really want to make sure that I'm building this path, this future, so that people have a brighter future ahead of them and live healthier lives through public health, through global health.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Yeah. Wow. No, that's that's a really interesting story. So thank you so much for going into detail about really how you got involved, you know, not just in the field uh personally, but also professionally, right? And how you had such a uh diverse experience, diverse experiences and how, you know, you were really seeing these things firsthand from such a young age and everything. So that's a really um great uh entry point into the field, if you will, professionally. And I think a lot of people can probably relate to that moment of realizing, oh, public health is everywhere around me, you know, and I am seeing these things firsthand. But then realizing, like you said, I love how you phrase that language of public health that you don't realize that these things are called public health, like uh a public health sanitation issue or access to healthcare or something, you know, you don't you don't have the language for that until you you put the words to it when you're in school or something? So um I appreciate uh you, you know, calling that out. So, you know, building upon that, I'm really curious how your time, you know, when you got to that MPH program and you realized, okay, this is the field that I want to be studying. How did your time in your MPH program really shape that interest? Um, and so what experiences within that MPH do you think shaped how you approach public health today as a profession?

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Yes. And this is going to be, you know, such a very common way of starting this question. But I just wanted to say I loved my MPH program. And I really enjoyed my time as an MPH student. And I've already expected that, you know, being an undergraduate student, I was already asking a lot of these MPH students, these DRPH, PhD students, you know, what was your experience at my um college, which was the Melad Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health? What was it like? And so they shared a lot of really great experiences. And then eventually I was really influenced to obviously study my MPH at Mezcof to pursue my MPH at Mezcof. And so during my MPH career, it wasn't just one significant moment. I think it's just a culmination of all of the really great and positive things that I've experienced, starting off with a really great mentor, which I think is really important for people who are wanting to pursue, who want to pursue their MPH degree. And for me, I had this mentor who was already mentoring me even before I became an MPH student. So she, so Dr. McGrath, you know, shout out to Dr. McGrath. She saw potential in me when I was a senior. And then she was asking me, you know, where are you applying in terms of your MPH degree? Where do you want to pursue it? And as soon as I was kind of narrowing down my options, I immediately thought of her and how important mentorship is for, you know, your MPH degree. And so I decided to choose Mezcoff for my MPH. I received really wonderful mentorship from her. She and I both went to Indonesia when I was doing my master's thesis over there, actually. So I did my master's thesis in Indonesia. She was a very big influence on that because she also did research before in Indonesia. So that was really beautiful. And she was teaching me all of these Bahasa Indonesia, you know, words and all that stuff when I was new to the language, new to the place, and she was just amazing. So then, aside from mentorship, I think just the opportunities in general to be able to connect with your community. For me personally, community is very important in your MPH program, just because, you know, people look at it, it's a one to two-year program. And people may think, oh, it's just easy, but you know, it does, you know, it is a stressful degree because you're in charge of people's lives. You're in charge of making a healthier future for people. So I think the important thing is finding a community where you can stay involved, but a community that can also understand, okay, where you're coming from in terms of your career trajectory, what you're experiencing right now in your program. So that was really important. I was involved in organizations like the Global Health Alliance, where I continuously showcase my love and my passion for global health. I was involved in the Graduate and Professional Student Council, which is the, you know, our version of a student government for um students who are pursuing advanced degrees. And I was also a teaching assistant. So that really connected me with a lot of people who were in the Mass Coff administration with students, faculty, staff, so on and so forth. So, a culmination of all of those experiences, plus the support that my college and the university in general gave me of being able to pursue what I wanted to do, you know, I was always fully funded for being able to travel overseas and doing research. I remember my second year of my MPH, I was almost never into San because I was always traveling, doing global health work. And so that was important because I was studying global health. And if I wasn't, you know, carrying that out in the real world, that I just didn't make the most out of my degree. And I'm glad to say that I was able to do that. So a culmination of all those experiences allowed me to really maximize my MPH. And I highly encourage everybody to have that experience as well.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Yeah, no, I love that. And and truly the element of community is so important. So thank you for highlighting that because I think public health just in its nature is such a community-oriented field, right? That we are constantly leaning on one another for different things that we need in the in the field, right? And and the element of mentorship is incredibly important. And so though I'll the fact that you were able to have a mentor help you kind of guide you through that experience and help you figure out what you wanted to do and path you wanted to pursue, uh, you know, was really important. And so I'm glad to hear that you had that experience. And I know that you are already carrying forward that mentorship already. Um, so this is kind of alluding to the next question here. So, you know, beyond the classroom and kind of beyond some of the things that you did in your traditional MPH experience, um I had the privilege of actually meeting you when you were a this is public health ambassador here at ASPPH. So thank you, you know, for doing that as well. Um, and again, I know that you are still kind of carrying that forward in your own mentorship now, as you are still participating as a This Is Public Health alumni ambassador. I'm curious, can you explain a little bit more about your experience as a This Is Public Health ambassador here within our organization and what stood out to you about that experience and kind of why you like carrying that forward now as an early career professional?

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Yes. I would just like to say for everybody listening out there, meeting Miranda in person, she is so lovely. And so highly encourage everybody to have the opportunity to meet her in person at any of this, these ASPPH, this is public health events, so on and so forth. But again, Miranda, it was so lovely to meet you in person. And so I would just like to say that the ASPPH, this is public health opportunity in general to be an ambassador throughout my MPH program and now coming back as an alumni ambassador, all of those experiences have been really beautiful. So I remember applying for this opportunity, getting the opportunity, doing the onboarding, meeting my peers. And I, you know, it is predominantly an online opportunity. So because we're all in different parts of the United States. And I think a lot of people already have that idea in their minds. It's an online opportunity, it's going to be boring, it's not going to be worth it. But I've highly encouraged all the people that I know pursuing an MPH degree or wanting to pursue an MPH to definitely take part in this opportunity because it was definitely one of the most life-changing things that I was a part of. So I remember we would always have these regular meetings on Zoom, and we would either invite guest speakers to talk about their path opportunities that are available for us to consider. There would also be, you know, some of my peers being able to talk about their field and their interests and connecting with anyone who's interested in collaborating in their field as well or collaborating in any projects in general. And so I felt inspired. What I did when I was a TIPH ambassador was I actually reached out to the team and I said, you know, I have these skills in social media and I'm very passionate about global health. And I would like to utilize my role as an ambassador to be able to give back to the organization and to be able to get the word out there because messaging is important, right? Public health is important. So what I did, and I love that it was very positively, you know, it was well received. And I am just so glad that I had, you know, that support system through ASPPH to be able to share those videos on social media about, you know, where I was going to school, what I was studying, and inspiring other people to get into that field of global health. And I also really loved that they said, you know, that was really great. We have another idea for you. And so it wasn't just a one-time thing. And I love that because they were paying attention, right? So it wasn't just a fulfillment of this passion that I had of this project that I had, but they actually paid attention and they said, this is really great. And we can see you doing another project, which is obviously February is iHeart Public Health Month. So what I did was I collected videos from my peers. You know, I sent out a Slack message, and then a lot of them started filling out the form and sending their videos, and then I started editing and posting them. And I think just the supportive community was really wonderful, even though it was online. Now, when we transitioned to in-person, and I think the by in-person, I mean I was able to meet you all in Washington, DC for the annual conference that we had, the annual meeting that we had. And it was such a beautiful experience because I was able to meet my fellow ambassadors in person. They were already very sweet, wonderful, and lovely online. Now imagine seeing them in person. It was 10 times, you know, the the just how interactive they were, how willing to listen and collaborate with you and just work with you on all these programs, projects, and just listen to you and where you're coming from and your background, really getting to know you. That was very intentional. And so I really loved that experience of being able to meet my fellow ambassadors in person. So I think, all in all, just the experience of being an ambassador and now coming back and helping out with these panels while being, you know, thousands of miles away. Yeah, I think all of those experiences have just been really worth it and really wonderful. And again, highly encourage everybody, you know, everyone who's thinking of applying to this ambassador opportunity to do that because it will definitely, you know, really help you maximize your public health experience.

SPEAKER_00 15:30

That's really great to hear. So thank you, lady, so much for, you know, highlighting all of those different opportunities that you had within the program. I mean, like I said, obviously I was so happy that I was able to meet you in person and so many other ambassadors. But I think, again, you're highlighting that element of community that we're able to build within these opportunities and getting to know each other, not only in an online community, but also in an in-person format. And now the fact that, you know, you're on the other side of the world, you know, and we're still able to have these connections and these touch points is so important because that really is what public health is at its core is figuring out, okay, how do we start from point A and get to point Z or double A or whatever it is, you know, and keep building and building and building? So I really appreciate you highlighting that. You know, kind of going off of that, you know, I know that you are obviously really good at social media and storytelling. So, how do you think storytelling and you know, public health messaging changes the way that you think and uh engage with certain communities?

SPEAKER_02 16:31

Yes. So I think it's really important to mention that maybe I I well, you never really know when you're good at something, but I just love doing it. So I did it anyway. And I think that public health messaging, public health communication, all of that, okay, it's it's it's all very important because we have to understand that people are looking for, you know, a resource and people are looking for a way for them to receive trustworthy information about everything that's happening in the world, especially when it comes to public health and global health, specifically when it comes to my field. Now, I can remember in terms of public health communication, I would always be the person, okay, because I was an ambassador at my college at Mezcof, and I was also a this is public health ambassador, that people would tap into this talent that I had of storytelling and being able to talk about public health and global health to, you know, go to these conferences or um join these meetings to be able to talk to current students, faculty, and staff about programs within my college or global health specifically, the work that I did when I was in Indonesia doing my master's thesis, or maybe podcasts like this, right? So all of these opportunities are very important because from public health storytelling and from public health communication, you can then understand that there are people listening, right? And there are people listening to be able to get their questions answered, to get resources. Now, from all of those opportunities that I had, and I was very fortunate to have had those opportunities of being able to speak at my college, being able to speak at, you know, programs, organizations, and institutes like this. And I had a lot of people who would reach out to me on LinkedIn, on Instagram, on, you know, through my email, just wanting to get their questions answered about getting an MPH degree or what it means to pursue global health, what are opportunities, so on and so forth, right? And I love that because most especially the people who were reaching out to me were either immigrants who had the same background as I did, or people who were international students who were unsure if they wanted to pursue an MPH degree at the University of Arizona or just, you know, here in the United States in general. And I think that that was very impactful because it allowed me to see now I'm serving as this resource for these individuals. And before I was one of these people who would reach out to other individuals, right? These trustworthy individuals who would share their stories online. So it's very important, you all, that you share your stories because you never know who you're reaching and you never know who you're inspiring. And I'm so happy to say that a lot of those people that reached out to me, they're either currently applying to an MPH program or they're currently in an MPH program. And I'm so glad that we're growing this community of public health professionals.

SPEAKER_00 19:17

Absolutely. No, and that's wonderful to hear, right? Because it really is so important, not only to, you know, if you're helping one person, if you're helping 20 people, if you're helping a hundred people, right? It's just that one person's life that you can make a difference in. And like you said, you never really know who is listening. So the importance of sharing your story, I love that perspective because you really don't know who could be listening and who you could be helping. And now to see that follow-through, right? That this is somebody who I helped, I was that resource, I shared my story, and now this is how I help them through that process. And again, it goes back to that community aspect of we're really all here to help one another. And so that's a really great perspective that you have on that. So, you know, because storytelling is really such a powerful tool in public health, I'm wondering if there was a specific moment where it really clicked for you in practice. So, you know, could you share a moment from your ambassador work or maybe your academic experiences where you saw public health come to life outside of the classroom?

SPEAKER_02 20:17

The one moment that really stood out to me when you asked me that question was when I was conducting my master's thesis project in Indonesia. And now it's a full circle moment because if, you know, for the people who are listening, if you already don't know, I'm here in Indonesia right now as a Princeton Asia fellow. So it's always a full circle moment for me. But when I was still doing my MPH, the second year that I was um in my MPH program, I obviously was, you know, finishing up with my master's thesis. And so it was very important for me to be able to conduct that in Indonesia because I'm very interested in doing public health work in Southeast Asia as somebody who was born and raised in the Philippines. So giving back to this community was always very important for me. So that was the number one priority. Number two, I wanted to do a project on tuberculosis because my great aunt passed away due to complications caused by tuberculosis. Now, being able to conduct that research, you know, being supported by my college to do that research, doing the ethical clearance, you know, learning a little bit of the language. I had a one-month language course before coming to Indonesia because it was very important because I was the one in charge of interviewing a lot of our stakeholders and a lot of the um participants for the study. So when I eventually, you know, traveled to Indonesia and I started meeting the team, I just realized wow, this is public health. This is global health in practice, where you actually have to go out into the field and do the work. You know, even if you're not from this culture, from this background, it's very important that you do the work, you know, you do the background work that's necessary for you to lay that very solid foundation to have. Very meaningful work in Indonesia. So that includes knowing the culture, learning the language, really knowing what your research is, okay, and being able to work with a team. So I had a team of, you know, research assistants at that time, they were also finishing up with their bachelor's degrees in public health in Indonesia. And so they know all these concepts, but being able to really put it into practice and having a team where I can teach people to do that, that was also really beautiful because people don't know that, you know, in global health, when you're working in global health, you're also working with a team and it goes both ways. You teach them certain things and certain topics, and they teach you as well. So it's always reciprocal. They taught me so much about the community, about cultural awareness, about, you know, specific practices within the local communities that I was interacting with in Burroughs, which is in Central Java. So that was always, you know, looking back at all of that, you know, applying for grants to get that funded, ethical clearance, teaching my team, doing the trainings, and then eventually interviewing people for my research. I think that that was a really beautiful opportunity because it allowed me to see this is all global health. And I think that we have to give a lot of credit to people who are doing global health work because that's a lot of work, honestly. And that's really good and meaningful work. And I think that we continuously need to support them in the role of being able to build a healthier life, not only for that community, but also for the world.

SPEAKER_00 23:33

Yeah. No, I love that. Thank you so much for, you know, again, sharing that story of kind of, you know, not only, okay, I know that I'm going to be going there to do this research and to do this work as part of my MPH experience, but now I'm really embedded in this community. And now I have to learn about their culture and I have to learn how to communicate with them. And I now have to do this back and forth reciprocal process of I'm teaching my team and they're teaching me. And how do we work with the community and everything? So I really love that, right? Because as academics, that is part of the role that we also play is understanding how do we properly communicate with communities and work with communities to best serve them, to create a healthier world for everyone everywhere. And that's really, you know, the essence of public health work and the essence of that global health work that you were doing. So seeing those kind of probably multiple uh realizations that you had that, oh, this is what I'm doing, that's global health, you know, I love to hear that. So that's that's really awesome. And, you know, congrats to you on that work because it's truly incredible, you know, to hear and kind of alluding to, you know, this work that now I know that you are doing also in Indonesia as a Princeton and Asia fellow, would you be able to share with our listeners, you know, one, how did you get into this role? Um, and what was that application process like? You know, being a recent MPH grad. But now, how did you navigate the transition from being a student now into your role as a Princeton and Asia fellow?

SPEAKER_02 24:59

Yes. And I think a lot of maybe, you know, people who are about to graduate from their MPH degree, you're probably thinking of what is your next step? And so it's very important to understand that there are a lot of opportunities out there for you. Right now, people are probably thinking, you know, it's very, it's very difficult. The job market, you know, it's very difficult to navigate right now. But from my perspective as well, there are also a lot of opportunities for you to really consider. So it's not the end of the world, everyone, and there are a lot of opportunities out there. So I'm sending you all this inspiration. Now, specifically with my my Prince in an Asia fellowship, I remember during the second year of my MPH, I was applying to all these opportunities. I was looking at jobs, fellowships, okay, and other opportunities as well. Now, I got accepted into uh multiple fellowships, and then some of these fellowships obviously fell through because of a change in the socio-political environment. So funding was no longer present for a lot of these fellowships. So let I was trying to be realistic. Now, Princeton in Asia was really an opportunity that stood out to me because I remember attending one of their info sessions, and I remember a lot of the alumni were present, and then the panelists who were also alumni, you know, everybody was just hyping up each other. There were all positive vibes in that panel. And I just remember that the current uh alumni were just so inspired by the experiences that they had working as Princeton and Asia fellows. And you can definitely see it, and you can definitely see how that experience shaped where they are right now. And so I love that. I was inspired by that. And I said, you know, maybe Princeton and Asia is the best way to go. So I went through the whole application process of sending in an application. I had multiple interviews. I even had an interview with my host organization here in Indonesia. And, you know, all of that, it just made me want to pursue the fellowship even more. So I was praying. I was saying, okay, please, I hope I get this opportunity because I loved my experience, even though it was just an interview. And people think the interview process is like the most daunting process ever. But I loved the interview process that I had with Princeton in Asia. And obviously, now being here in Indonesia and teaching English and American culture, which I think a lot of you may think it's not related to public health, but in terms of my career trajectory, I want to be teaching in the future. I want to be a professor of global health or health law. So this opportunity is very valuable for me of being able to teach college students, faculty, and staff. So being here, seeing my community, building that community here in Indonesia and actually living here for one year has allowed me to just really enjoy the process and really appreciate Princeton and Asia for the opportunities that it provides for its fellows. And so I'm grateful to be here. Highly encourage everyone to look at fellowship opportunities that are open for them, you know. And I know that a lot of people are also looking for job opportunities, but I would really highlight the importance of fellowships as well to continuously hone those skills, especially for people who want to get into global health, fellowships overseas to study overseas, to work overseas. I always highly encourage those experiences. So really grateful for this opportunity. And I'm happy to answer any of your questions about this fellowship for those of you who are interested.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

I really do love to hear about your experiences as this fellow working in Indonesia and everything. So I'm curious, you know, from your perspective, because I know it is something that you're teaching the culture and teaching English. And so I'd love for you to elaborate a little bit more on that. But I'm also curious about how your previous experiences have carried into your work now. And how are you applying what you've learned as an MPH student working in global health as well as your ambassador experience into this role? And how do you see this fellowship experience really being tied into global health work?

SPEAKER_02 29:01

Definitely. So currently I work as a Prince and Anasia fellow here in Indonesia, and I'm the only fellow here in Indonesia. I work at Admajaya University here in Yogyakarta, which is in Java in Indonesia. And I work as an English language instructor, but I also teach American culture. So I have English club classes, but I also teach American culture through our cross-cultural understanding classes. And aside from that, I'm also a student. So I actually study Bahasa Indonesia for four hours every day, except for Friday and of course the weekends. So I learn, I learn, and I teach. I'm a student, but I'm also an instructor. And I think that that in itself was my experience as an MPH student, right? We get a glimpse of how it's like to teach classes. We're teaching assistants, some of our professors, our mentors, they have invited me, and they they will probably invite you all to teach, you know, a class. And I remember, you know, teaching these uh global health classes with the help of my mentor and just kind of having that experience of being able to teach. But also as an MPH student, you know, having to go to classes every day, learning, collaborating on group projects. So this experience was just basically a repetition of that. And I think that because of those experiences that I had in the MPH, I was very well equipped with teaching and also studying Bahasa Indonesia here in Yogyharta. Now, in terms of what are some skill sets or what are some values that I was able to get out of my MPH experience and how was I able to apply that here or vice versa, I can definitely say that initiative, taking the initiative to be able to start projects and programs and making a difference in the community, that has always been my goal and my priority. So I remember here in Indonesia, you know, a lot of previous Prince Indonesia fellows from the United States have already made a mark here at my host organization. And so we typically celebrate Halloween and we typically celebrate uh Thanksgiving together. But for this semester, for the second semester, we don't really have a lot of programs and ideas. And so I pitched the idea of having an Easter event. Now, Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country, and that's important to remember if you want to be in global health because cultural awareness is key, right? Indonesia is predominantly Muslim. My university is a Catholic university. So I said, okay, how do we make sure that we are very inclusive to all of these people that come from all religious backgrounds, making an Easter event that is so fun? And at the end of it all, I remember, you know, we created this event. It was an Easter event. We had all of these Easter games, like Easter egg hunting, we had an egg toss, which I experienced growing up in the Philippines and also my celebration of Easter in the United States. But we also had an information session about Easter, where it came from, and all these activities and practices. And I think that seeing people from different religious backgrounds come together in that one room, it was a full room. It was packed, and them appreciating this event, that was really, you know, a highlight for me.

SPEAKER_00 32:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:12

Aside from that, we're also doing a podcast, actually, which is funny because I know I'm here we are. Here we are. Um, we also started a podcast so that we can share information about Indonesian culture, American culture, and Filipino culture as well, for people to learn more about my background as well. So, you know, taking the initiative to start these projects and programs, that has always been key for me because it allows me to be able to leave my mark here and to be able to impart my culture, my knowledge, my background on things like, you know, global health and just the cultural stuff that I've experienced and the cultural experiences that I've had and sharing that with the community, I think is always really important and will always be there for many years to come. So I think that value of taking initiative is very important. Now, in terms of what this experience can provide, you know, in the future, cultural awareness is key. And I think that that scale that people should always develop, whether they're working globally in the United States or locally, whatever that may look like. If you're listening to this podcast and you want to get into global health, definitely, you know, practice cultural awareness, know how to interact with other people, what it means to put yourself in other people's shoes, what it means to empathize with other community members, to learn their culture, their language, and leaving some room for them to know about you as well. And so I think just that positionality and the reciprocity of it all, you know, open your heart, your mind to these experiences. And I assure you, it will definitely be maybe one of the best experiences that you will ever have as somebody who is a global health professional or is interested in getting into global health.

SPEAKER_00 33:59

Yeah, no, I really love that perspective. And I think it's it's very clear from hearing from you in the conversation, even the short conversation we've just had today, that you are somebody who's very in tune with um, you know, not only that cultural awareness and sensitivity, but also just kind of meeting somebody where they're at and understanding that community aspect of, okay, well, this is where I'm at, this is where you're at. Now, how do we communicate with one another to kind of come together and learn from each other and move forward? And that's again, really kind of what we really aim to do in public health and in these global health fields of how do we create better health systems for people to improve their well-being, right? And so, how do we get at the core of well-being? It's understanding where each other are and then working together to do that. And so I really love that perspective. And so uh I just want to thank you for that as well. And so, kind of looking back from all of your experiences, now, you know, I know you are an early career professional, but you've done a lot so far. Um, so looking back at not only, you know, your experience as a fellow, your experience in your MPH and undergrad and all of the different applications and jobs and ambassador experiences that you've had. Is there one thing that you wish you would have done differently or maybe sooner during your time as a student or ambassador, or potentially even now as a fellow?

SPEAKER_02 35:20

So I would highly recommend this for people who are maybe currently pursuing their MPH or are just about to get into their MPH program. I wish I had more opportunities to get into, you know, programs or projects that would really get me those experiences for me to be prepared for my PhD. So, in short, I wish I had more PhD-related experiences because obviously in the future, I want to pursue a PhD or an advanced degree in general. Now, I think it's really important for us to consider that an MPH is it really depends on you and what you want to get out of your MPH program. For me, I was really experimenting on all of these different sectors of public health. Um, I was experimenting on wash programs, I was experimenting on infectious disease programs, global health research, so on and so forth, for me to really find out, okay, what do I enjoy the most so that I know this is the field that I'm gonna focus on, and this is maybe a field where I could find careers to be able to apply for later on. Now, in terms of my MPH program as well, I wish that I really had more experiences to be able to do PhD level work, like maybe um being able to get um some journals published and going to all these information sessions where I could learn about how to publish, you know, what are the good journals out there, how to be able to get the funding for being able to publish journal articles, so on and so forth. So, for people who are really interested in having kind of PhD level work and want to get to that next step, definitely be intentional about that and find out what are the resources that are available for you at your university. So that's very specific to me. Okay. Now I would say though that during my MPH experience, I was involved in a lot. And I'm sure you can tell from just listening to me in this podcast, I love to be involved and to make the most out of my time and just build that community. So I don't really look back at my MPH and say, you know, I regret doing this because I'm so fortunate and I'm so lucky to have had that opportunity, and I'm very fortunate to be where I am right now and enjoying the work that I'm doing, which not a lot of people can say, you know, I love my job or I'm here and I'm really appreciating this opportunity. So in general, I really made the most out of my experience, which is why I love my MPH and I highly encourage that you do too. And the second is, you know, if you're finding that there's something that you're missing, address that now rather than later. And I wish that, you know, I had all of those other experiences if I had the time, the energy, and the resources to do something. I wish I pursued that as well. So that, you know, it will definitely help me later on when I'm when I'm pursuing my PhD. So in general, make the most out of your experience and going back to my previous response, take initiative when you feel like something is lacking and fill in that gap.

SPEAKER_00 38:17

Yeah, no, I love that. And I think that's that's great advice, right? Not only for like you said for yourself, that was very personal advice, something that you were reflecting on, but also really good to kind of see, okay, take advantage of all of the opportunities that come across your desk, right? Because you never really know how one thing could lead to the next. And it really does potentially open opportunities and open doors for what could lead you into that next experience. And so, you know, really valuable advice and really um, especially for people who are either looking to go into the field of public health or potentially looking at what is that next step for me. My last question for you, lady, and again, thank you so much for your time today. What advice would you give to a current public health student who is trying to figure out what their next step should be?

SPEAKER_02 39:01

Yes, and I always say this reach for the stars. And what do I mean by that, right? Reaching for the stars, do it, okay? Do it with all the passion and love and energy that you can give and do it while being intentional as well. And so I think a lot of the times when I was talking to, remember when I was sharing about all these people that we would reach out to me and they were having doubts about applying to their MPH programs or they didn't know where to start, that there will always be resources for you, whether that be people that you can reach out to, information on the website of the program that you want to get into. So know that the information is out there. Know that people are willing to help you. But the question is, are you willing to help yourself to get to that next step, to get to where you want to be? So do it. You know, if you love doing it, if you're already thinking about it, do it. If you're afraid that you're probably not gonna get the funding, well, you never know until you apply and do research. Okay, what are these scholarships that I can apply to for me to be funded while doing this work? What are some grants that will help me to be able to do this work without having to pay out of pocket, for example? I can assure you all that when I was doing my MPH, I didn't have to pay for my degree. I also didn't have to pay for all the experiences that I did while I was doing work overseas, whether that may have been my master's thesis or going to the annual meeting for ASPPH, right? Know that there are opportunities out there and know that there are people who are willing to support you in that feat of being able to reach to where you need to be. So in general, know that you have to always give yourself that motivation. Know that you have to do it and that when you're doing it, you have to reach for the stars. Okay, so you always have to give it your all and to not have any regrets when you're doing the event or after the event program whatever you're doing. So yeah, reach for the stars, everyone.

SPEAKER_00 41:09

Yeah, I love that. That is such great advice. And I love that you said reach for the stars and be intentional, right? Because that intentionality is so important in everything we do, especially in this field and in this work. So, lady, I just want to say thank you so, so much for sharing your journey and your insights and all of your experiences with us today. I am certain that this will not be the last time that we speak. So, again, thank you so much, you know, for sharing this. It has been great hearing how your experiences, not only in the classroom, but also in the field now, have shaped your path in public health. And to our listeners, thank you so much for being a part of this conversation. If you are interested in sharing your work or participating in a future episode, we do invite you to stay connected with both the Idea Institute and ASPPH. Thank you for helping us turn ideas into action within academic public health.

SPEAKER_02 42:01

Thank you, Miranda. Thank you to our listeners. Bye, everyone.