Tomorrow's public health leaders — already engaged!
May 15, 2018
Blake Fulton
MSPH, Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 2018
Blake Fulton (Photo by Deanna Wilkie)
What has been your favorite experience at the Gillings School?
Sitting in on my first meeting for the Rwandan cookstove project. My research involves assessing hydrocarbon exposure, and for the first time, I heard details of other aspects of the research and gained insight into the scope of a collaborative research project. I saw how research works in a real and applied sense, and even with my limited participation, that awareness has provided me with a wealth of experience.
What impact has your scholarship had?
The Fraser scholarship has given me the freedom to pursue an excellent education, learn from a renowned faculty and gain experience as a teaching assistant, researcher, and environmental health and safety worker, without being burdened with more debt. All of this prepares me for a career in industrial hygiene, where I feel that I can improve the quality of life for others and ensure that people are able to earn a living without concern for their health.
Busola Sanusi
PhD, Biostatistics, 2019
Busola Sanusi (Photo by Jennie Saia)
What public health accomplishment are you most proud of?
My proudest public health accomplishment to date was a collaborative research project aimed at improving the treatment protocol for invasive cervical cancer in HIV-positive women. We wanted to focus on women in resource-limited countries, so we used South Africa as a case study. My adviser and I worked with researchers from across UNC and South Africa.
What is your dream career?
My long-term public health goal is to be the director of an infectious disease center. I want to lead a team that is dedicated to helping people with health issues live their best lives.
What would you like to tell those who fund scholarships?
Every act of generosity produces a ripple effect. The beneficiaries of your support in turn give back to others, and the world is made a better place because of you.
Adrianna Warner
MPH, Public Health Leadership Program, 2019
Adrianna Warner (Photo by Deanna Wilkie)
What have you been involved in this year?
In addition to starting my practicum experience with Chatham Hospital, I’m working on an interdisciplinary student team to develop and implement a quality improvement project to improve health outcomes in Chatham County (N.C.). My studies have furthered my passion for helping rural, underserved populations, and I’m excited to be able to create real change in a real community! I’ve also become involved as a volunteer with the Student Health Action Coalition at UNC and am working on a diabetes intervention project with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
What does receiving a scholarship mean to you?
Being a first-generation college graduate and graduate student, this funding was crucial in allowing me to attend the Gillings School and pursue a Master of Public Health degree. It is bringing me closer to my goal of attending medical school and helping underserved populations in western North Carolina.
For more information about supporting the education and training of other Gillings School students, please contact the Gillings School’s advancement office at (919) 966-0198 or giving.sph@unc.edu.
Carolina Public Health is a publication of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health. To view previous issues, please visit sph.unc.edu/cph.
