Spring graduates ready to combat health disparities
by Chynna Lockett |
Faculty members from the Division of Population Health Sciences held a reception to celebrate their graduating Spring class. Friends and family were invited to mark a milestone for students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS). Faculty held gold balloons that spelt out 2023 and posed with their students.
Kiki Moua sat at a table surrounded by excited family members and stacked with colorful congratulatory bouquets.
She beamed, 鈥淚鈥檓 really happy. I did it broke. I did it tired. But I was determined.鈥�
Moua said finding a focus that sparks passion made the hard-work easier. For her, that鈥檚 Health Education. Her goal is to combat health disparities that people of color and other underrepresented communities face.
鈥淲ith the health education field, you鈥檙e involved with people on a very vulnerable, intimate level. You get to learn about their struggles and get to understand things like 鈥榳hy aren鈥檛 you healthy鈥�? Well, because you have all these barriers.鈥�
She plans to use her degree to empower people with the support and resources they need. Moua will be working as a medical assistant, earning clinical experience for graduate school while she prepares for the Certified Health Education Specialist exam in the fall.
Another BSHS graduate, Katelyn Lovs, attended UAA online from Seattle.
She laughed, 鈥淚 got my masters in Zoom.鈥�
Lovs said attending UAA remotely allowed her to choose from more classes and work in both locations. Despite a jam-packed schedule, she started an organization her senior year to promote harm reduction.
鈥淲e empower people to live their own lives, whether that is using drugs, practicing sex.鈥� She said, 鈥淲e just empower them to do it in the safest way possible so we can eliminate the risk of Hepatitis C, HIV, AIDS, abscesses with drug use, needle use. Anything related to public health.鈥�
Lovs recently received grant funding for her work in Seattle. In the future, she鈥檚 considering expansion.
鈥淜eep your eye out for harm reduction in 熊猫在线视频 because I have some thoughts and I鈥檓 going to get some wheels spinning here.鈥�
Nearly 30 students graduated from the BSHS program this semester, prepared to apply their education to careers in public and community health.
- Awards
- Community
- COVID-19
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- 熊猫在线视频 Health Misinformation Response Project
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies