Tell us about yourself.

I am a first-generation college student, and learning is very important to me. I especially enjoy sharing what I learn with children, adolescents, and young adults. I want to be an informative pillar in society for our youth, no matter what their background. They are the future.

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What led you to the field of public health?

What led me to Public Health was a classmate, Mataalofa Hubbard, who made an announcement in our Human Services class. She needed someone to volunteer to join the first set of student ambassadors to represent Bakersfield College. I yelled,  “I’ll do it!” From there, she introduced me to the head of the Public Health Program, Dr. Baron, who informed me about the different programs I could get involved in. I became so enthralled and motivated to learn more about Public Health. On a personal note, someone I really care about who was 12 at the time, had contracted an STI. This prompted me to learn more about what I could do to help her and what I could say to make her understand that she was at risk.

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Why did you apply for the data collector research internship?

The internship is giving me hands-on research experience that I can take with me when I transfer to CSU Bakersfield. These are skills that I can build upon in the future.

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What would you like to do after you graduate?

I will transfer to CSU Bakersfield and continue my education as a Psychology major. The brain has become an enormous interest of mine, especially as it relates to child development. Statistics show that STIs are on the rise in the youth, and I’d like to combine this knowledge with my Public Health background to help this vulnerable population.

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What do you like to do for fun?

Learning is fun for me. If I could major in at least six different subjects and master those subjects, it would be great. The knowledge and skills I am learning is how I enjoy my day, although going to the theatre is fun as well.

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