As an undergraduate student at SUNY at Geneseo, Christine Kemp attended a presentation about the impact public health had had on the population’s quality of life and health in the 20th century. “I was surprised to learn how important public health was,” she said, “and I wanted to become more involved in the challenges that face public health in the future. I decided that getting an MPH was the best way to get involved in the field.”
She selected UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions because of her love for the city of Buffalo, and because she was impressed with UB’s connections to locally and nationally renowned institutions.
Those connections include a variety of field training locations where students can use the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in real-world applications. “Through my MPH field training, I was able to learn that my true passion in public health lies in the field of reproductive health,” said Kemp. “I gained valuable skills, work experience and a much clearer picture of what I want to do with my degree. I plan to pursue my interests in reproductive health, ideally focusing on the impact of social media in health promotion.”
Kemp said she has also developed valuable leadership skills through her work in the departmental Graduate Student Association (GSA). As secretary, she worked with her fellow officers on many projects including planning an art auction that raised funds for students to attend the yearly American Public Health Association (APHA) conference. “I learned a lot through this experience—such as the importance of working with others, and exactly how much planning goes into creating such events (a lot). I was involved in the GSA last year as well, although not an officer, but I found the experience to be equally rewarding.”