Tell us about yourself.

I'm 27 years old, I joined the military weeks after graduating high school, and Bakersfield is my hometown. 

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What led you to the field of public health?

Originally, I wanted to become a nurse, because I've always had a urge to help those in need, but when I found out about public health, my life was changed. When I was accepted into the nursing program at Bakersfield College, I thought hard about the next two years of my life. At that time, my perspective of nursing was that I could temporarily make someone feel better, as opposed to changing someones whole life by educating them to have a healthier lifestyle through public health. 

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Tell us about a specific moment in the past 12 months when you learned something that you think will be useful for the future.

Since the beginning of this year, I have been volunteering for any available opportunities from the very strong and welcoming community of public health. What I've experienced and learned is that if I surround myself with people with similar interest and goals, then my life will be positively affected along with theirs.

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Why did you apply for the data collector research internship?

The health of Kern County is greatly at risk because of unsafe sex. I personally feel like this survey may have an impact on the youth to practice safer sex, and because of that, I am proud to be a part of it. Also, I'm just curious what the results of the survey will reveal. 

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What would you like to do after you graduate?

After completing my undergraduate I plan on getting a new motorcycle and traveling across the country for about a month. Then of course I'll come back to reality and apply for every entry level position in Kern County to get some experience. If I strike out in Kern County, then I will look for other positions in other counties within California. When I have some experience in the public health field, I will continue my education and hope for an administration level position.

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What do you like to do for fun?

I like to watch sports, work on my motorcycle that I'm customizing and rebuilding, and learn how to play guitar. 

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