Each year, graduates of the School of Population and Public Health Sciences continue to make a significant impact on health and health outcomes in their neighborhoods, California, and around the world. Here are just a few of his 2024 Master of Public Health graduates who are ready to continue this tradition.
Mehari Bekele, MPH
MPH concentration: biostatistics – epidemiology
Bachelor of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Minor in Healthcare Studies
“Working on research projects and collaborations with faculty and students in this program has been incredibly fulfilling,” said Mehari Bekele, a first-generation graduate of the Progressive Degree Program. Bekele’s interest in public health stems from her desire to alleviate health disparities within underserved communities. During her time at USC, Bekele served as an EH MATTERS Fellow and was a member of the Inland Empire where she studied environmental and social factors that influence the respiratory health of children in the Bernardino and Riverside areas. Contributed to the Pediatric Respiratory Health Survey. “Engaging with community members during this research was enlightening,” she reveals. “Their passionate advocacy and participation in this research has made our work extremely gratifying. My goal is to not only address the medical framework, but also to address the social determinants of health. I am committed to bridging the gaps for communities that feel marginalized and unheard within the current framework, and to give their voices and voices a voice. I work to ensure that concerns are at the center of public health efforts.I am a community-driven epidemiologist who aims to develop customized solutions to combat the health disparities that pervade these communities. We would like to conduct an investigation.”
Mia Chakroun, MPH
MPH Concentration: World Health
“Growing up, I have always been fascinated by different cultures, languages, and how they relate to health,” says progressive degree student Mia Chakroun. “When I discovered public health and learned about interdisciplinary approaches to improving the well-being of communities, I knew it was the field I wanted to pursue.” While at USC, Chakrun worked on a tobacco control project. , where I gained hands-on research experience. “Seeing how our work was directly impacting the California Department of Public Health made me realize that I could make a big impact in this field. Ta.”
Chakroun completed an internship at the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI). “This experience was an essential and transformative part of my degree, and I was able to build on my knowledge and skills while benefiting from the guidance of experienced professionals who helped shape my career dreams. ,” she explains. “Working with a dedicated evaluation and improvement team was a particularly rewarding and meaningful experience. For my capstone project, I collaborated with SC CTSI’s community engagement team. The insights, capabilities, and connections I gained It will be invaluable and will definitely help me in my future endeavors.” After graduation, Chakrun plans to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector, government, or with a focus on community engagement.
Megan Enciso, MPH
MPH concentration: promoting community health
“My interest in public health was born out of a desire to help underserved and marginalized communities,” says Megan Enciso. “I love using social determinants of health to identify resources and information to develop effective interventions and approaches.” “My most impactful educational experience at USC was designing programs. and evaluation concepts. They helped me develop better research skills and learned the step-by-step process of creating and implementing public health programs.” Consistent with her interests, her favorite course in the program was “Community Organizing and Mobilization for Public Health” due to its emphasis on community-based activities away from the traditional classroom setting . Another highlight for her was a field trip for the “Public Health Disaster Management and Response” course, where students visited the Los Angeles Fire Department and toured the emergency operations center.
Ms. Enciso completed her practicum requirements at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). “The highlight of my practicum was interacting with different families at CHLA. I learned how to use RedCap and honed my community engagement skills,” she says. After her graduation, Enciso plans to apply her public health and communication skills to provide more services to underserved communities.
Aaron Lee, MPH
MPH concentration: biostatistics – epidemiology
“My passion for public health was born while working at the nonprofit organization Big Brothers Big Sisters, where I witnessed firsthand the transformative impact that mentorship has on young children. ” reveals Aaron Lee. “My enduring interest in population-based interventions is rooted in my desire to bring about positive change within my own community. My interest in epidemiology is rooted in the etiology of disease and the out of curiosity about the different health effects that result from different exposure conditions within different communities.” Lee completed his practicum requirements at the Pasadena Department of Public Health. He conducted an outbreak investigation of locally transmitted dengue cases. “At USC, I gained valuable insight into epidemiological principles and honed my skills in identifying potential mosquito breeding sites in the front and backyard of homes,” he says. “We also increased our contact tracing proficiency through thorough interviews with residents to determine their infection and travel history.”
Mr. Lee served as President of the Master of Public Health Student Association (MaPHSA) from 2023 to 2024. After she graduates she plans to pursue a PhD in epidemiology.
Christina Longmire, MPH
MPH concentration: biostatistics – epidemiology
“My passion for public health was sparked during my undergraduate studies in global health,” says progressive degree student Christina Longmire. “This educational trip broadened my perspective on global challenges and deepened my interest in the field. One particularly enlightening course was Health Behavioral Statistical Methods, where I studied public health and Fascinated by the intersection of statistics, I began to focus on biostatistics and epidemiology. Through this graduate program, I developed a special interest in maternal health and nutrition. I want to use a data-driven approach to improve the health and well-being of these populations. ”
Longmire completed her internship at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine’s Infectious Diseases and Virology Mother, Child, and Youth Center. “One of the most impactful educational experiences for me was a lab that investigated the transmission of COVID-19 from mothers to children. This opportunity deepened my interest in maternal health and shaped my future career. It sparked my passion to pursue research as a career,” she says. “I am also confident that I will become proficient in a variety of advanced laboratory techniques and in the process gain valuable skills that I will be able to utilize in my future career. These include, to name a few, These include sequence extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR data analysis, nanopore sequencing, and the use of a Qubit fluorometer.”
After graduating, Longmire hopes to explore Europe and pursue a career as a researcher.