My experience as a student in the Global Studies Department at Providence College initiated and fostered my commitment to public service. The program’s interdisciplinary nature allowed me to gain comprehensive views of the interconnected issues that face our world through historical, social, cultural, and political lens. The Global Studies and Spanish courses I took coupled with PC’s cores developed my thirst for knowledge, and taught me to not be afraid to seek the truth, and question societal structures that breed injustice. The passion and dedication of my fellow classmates and professors were integral to making my experience as incredible as it was. The program’s strong promotion of service and action inspired me to be involved in the community. I worked with immigrants and refugees in Providence, and interned with an indigenous rights organization in Cambridge, MA. I am indebted to the program for engaging my curiosity in cultures, providing me with a strong knowledge basis in global issues, and starting what will be a lifelong commitment to social justice.
Post-grad life
The travel bug I caught during my study abroad experience in Spain stayed with me until after graduation. I completed an internship with a women’s health center through the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) in Ciudad Sandindo, Nicaragua, and another through ProWorld in Urubamba, Peru. After these experiences, I wanted to continue to work in collaboration with communities on grassroots development projects, so I worked as a FSD Program Coordinator in La Plata, Argentina. During my year in Argentina, I supported interns in their work with a network of organizations working in different development fields to promote sustainable change in under-served communities. Though I was inspired by the power of community-based development, I wanted to learn more about government administration and policy as a tool for change.
Thus, I pursued a graduate degree and am now working for the federal government. I received a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 2011, where I focused my studies on Social Policy and International and Development Administration. During my studies at Maxwell, I became increasingly interested in public health, and soon after graduation, I began the three-year Public Health Prevention Service (PHPS) fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PHPS is a 3-year training and service fellowship focused on public health program management and leadership. During the first year at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, I worked with the Division of Community Health in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Influenza Coordination Unit in the Office of Infectious Diseases. I am currently in my 2-year field assignment with the Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support in Minnesota serving as the male health coordinator.
