The post Bothell Alumni Featured in “The Huddle” appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

Kashpa Khan and Isabella Humphries, two alumnae from 56勛圖厙 Bothell���s Health Studies program are working as part of the Patient Engagement and Navigation team at HealthPoint ��� a nonprofit community health center based in the Greater Seattle area. Khan and Humphries connect patients with the resources they need. Read more about how these Health Studies alumnae are making a difference in our community!

The post HS Alumnae Making a Difference in Our Community appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

Shanell Brown, who earned her MN in 2023, has founded Shades of Divinity, a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating health inequities. Read more about Shanell, her educational experiences, and her plans for the future.

The post Shanell Brown (MN) Founds Organization: Shades of Divinity appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

My name is Vivian Lubwama, and my pronouns are she/her. I graduated in the class of 2023
from the Health Studies program.
I love that 56勛圖厙 Bothell is a small community that embraces everyone and makes you feel
welcome. I appreciate the small classrooms where the teachers are always there to help and
support you. I especially enjoyed the epidemiology course, which encouraged me to start a
career path in researching and studying diseases. This led me to begin my career at the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where I’ll be working in the hematology department.

The post Meet Vivian Lubwama, HS ’23 appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

The post HS Student is 56勛圖厙 Bothell Alumni of the Year appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

Tell us about yourself and what led you to 56勛圖厙 Bothell.

I’m a first-generation Latina and I was able to be in running Start in the Everett Community College where I received my DTA in Arts and Sciences, I knew that I loved having the small campus experience, where I could connect with my teachers and feel heard.

How did your experience in your coursework help you find your career path (area of focus)? You may want to tell us about a moment at 56勛圖厙 Bothell that you are proud of, what you���ve carried over from your education, and what has fueled your passion.

I knew I wanted to work in the community through previous volunteering during my High School and College experiences, but through a summer class around Program Planning and Evaluation, I was able to connect with LETI during their Latino Expo where my group was able to create an activity for the community around healthy eating, interactive activity for children, and offering alternatives for seasoning food with low sodium spices. That’s where i realized there are many topics around health and education that minority communities aren’t aware of because of the lack of connection to the system we live in.

Where has life taken you since graduation and what are your future plans?

I began working as the Health and Wellness Coordinator here at LETI before I graduated and have been working here now for a little over 2 and a half years. I absolutely love the work I do here and I plan to help LETI grow and offer services from different locations in the future. I continue to work on furthering my education, and thankfully, my bosses have been very supportive through that path. At this moment I am going to online school through the Western Governors University for my Masters in Health leadership and I would like to have a Ph.D. in Public Health in the future.

Was there a faculty, staff, or student service that had a positive impact on your success?

I would definitely say that all of my professors at the University of Washington had a huge impact on my inspiration and drive to pursue my path because they all have so much experience working in the community on different levels. This got me thinking about all the possibilities and needs that were in the world and it got me looking to begin working on my professional path as soon as I could. Without that push, I wouldn’t have reached out to LETI to volunteer and eventually be hired for my position.

The post Marisol Bejarano, HS ’20 appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

Tell us about yourself and what led you to 56勛圖厙 Bothell.

My name is Mindy Vu (she/hers) and I will be graduating with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Educational Studies and Health Studies.

I am an educator at heart and value identity, culture and community. I have always been interested in development and interpersonal relationships. Outside of the classroom, you can find me hiking or rollerskating when the whether is nice. Additionally, I love to create in any medium, whether that’s through videos, painting, drawing, sewing, or coordinating events, I am there. I also love being part of a community and leading awkward ice breaker so that people start talking to each other.

I would say that blessings led me to 56勛圖厙 Bothell. In highschool, I only applied to two schools and I was really hoping to go to 56勛圖厙 Seattle. However when my application was rejected I was devasted and 56勛圖厙 Bothell was simply an alternative plan I didn���t think to much of. Yet, at 56勛圖厙 Bothell and I was grateful to find a community of faculty and peers that have helped me grown in to the person, the friend, the student, the leader and the professional that I am today. Looking back on it these past four years, 56勛圖厙 Bothell is more than just a small college campus but is truly a place that I call home.

How did your experience in your coursework help you find your career path (area of focus)? You may want to tell us about a moment at 56勛圖厙 Bothell that you are proud of, what you���ve carried over from your education, and what has fueled your passion.

I double majored in Health Studies and Educational Studies because when it was time to apply to a major my 2nd year of college I didn���t really know. And no one else really knew either and they would scrunch their noses and say, ���Oh so you want to be a health teacher and teach F.L.A.S.H (reproductive health) to middle schoolers?��� It was a great assumption to combine the two majors but yes and no.

I have always been an educator and loved teaching ever since I was a kid. Maybe it was because I was an older sibling and liked to tell people what to do, but prior to college I always found myself in teaching roles as a tutor, violin teacher etc. so for a while I wanted to be a grade school teacher. Yet, my parents had a different plan. They wanted me to be a doctor/nurse because of the salary and ultimately it was the most direct career to helping people. And parts of me really tried to want to be in primary care but after my first ���Intro to Cancer Bio��� course learning about cells and mitosis it wasn���t something that I wanted to do despite doing well in the class.

Therefore, I think that a moment I was really proud of is when I decided to tell my parents that I didn���t have a set career and made the choice to embrace the unknowns of public health. Of course, as Vietnamese immigrants this horrified them. All they wanted for me was to be financial stable and the vague explanation of public health is was not enough. But as I went through the education and health studies courses, I began to notice that no system, or issue society, whether it���s in the education system or healthcare is isolated. For example, one quarter I took ���Education in a Multicultural Classroom��� class and ���Social Dimensions of Health��� class the topics seem entirely unrelated, yet I would reference the education course in my health studies assignments and vice versa. The majors were interdisciplinary and from a social justice lens, the point of connection that I have observed is that in America all systems were designed perfectly to be inequitable and marginalize groups based on their identities (socioeconomic status, race, gender, geographic location etc.) Positionality, intersectionality, power and privileged (all the complicated concepts and big words) these were the constant and reoccurring themes/discussions across systems and within society. Ultimately, that makes it a human problem/struggle, not just in education or health.

In conclusion, I still have a lot to learn and hope to continue to figure out how my skill sets can be best applied to make the systems better for marginalized communities.

Where has life taken you since graduation and what are your future plans?

I will be graduating Winter 2022 but I am currently in Ireland for two months on the ERASMUS Grant. I could never have imagined that I would be studying aboard but I am grateful for the opportunity to studying public health here. Through this experience I have learned a lot about public health but even more about myself and the importance of social connection and relationships with the people around us. Especially because throughout my college career the context of my learning was limited to my world in Seattle. Reflecting on it, I hope to take what I have learned in Ireland into my future career.

My future plans are to hopefully apply to purse Masters in Public Health in December. In the meantime, I will be applying for positions at nonprofits and continue to volunteer and to be involved in my Vietnamese community.

Was there a faculty, staff, or student service that had a positive impact on your success?

I owe all my success to all the people that have supported me throughout my college career. Starting with professors and mentors, and peers that have supported me through my academic and professional but also personal development.

• Dr. Jody Early, Health Studies Professor
• Layla Taylor, CBLR Program Manager
• South East Asian Past and Futures Community, SEAPF/Raissa DeSmet/Nhi Tran
• Billy DeMeyer/Carrie Newman, OTP staff and my students in Team Lavender
• Pauline Tolentino, 56勛圖厙BVSA Community including Johnny Ho, Jenny Nguyen and Michelle Tran

The post Meet Mindy Vu! appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

The post HS Alum Wins Chancellor’s Student Civic Leadership Award appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

Daysi gave us the opportunity to learn more about why she chose Nursing and what inspires her.

Why did you choose 56勛圖厙 Bothell?

I’ve heard that 56勛圖厙 is rated #2 for its undergraduate nursing program in the nation! I wanted to choose a University I knew I was going to get top notch education, holding up to its high educational standards.

Why did you choose Nursing? What/who inspired you to choose Nursing? What/who inspires you now?

At the lowest point in my life, where I had no idea how to raise a child and was without any family support. I met an inspirational nurse that taught me how to prepare for motherhood. This education was so meaningful and impactful to my life that now I want to inspire others, through teachings and education so they too as well have an opportunity to live better lives.

What are your plans after graduation?

I hunger for more knowledge, and after graduation I would like to continue furthering my education and complete my Master’s degree in Science of Nursing. I am a strong believer that with knowledge comes power, with power you can help more people.

Why is supporting the health of diverse communities important?

We are living in a time where health is deteriorating fast related to the pandemic, and all of its negative outcomes drag along with it. Communities need leaders with knowledge, and me being a Nurse in a professional practice can be of help to this community by being anything they need me to be to get them through difficult moments in life.

How do you support the health of diverse communities?

I currently work as a District nurse and I am in constant communication with families about their student health needs, or even just a resource for any questions or concerns they may have. I am their voice for their children and the bridge for better communication between families and school staff personnel.

Of your accomplishments work-wise, which are you most proud of and why?

I am most proud of being able to utilize my spanish speaking abilities and communicate with families, about any questions or concerns they may have. Communication in a school setting is the biggest barrier and being able to help throughout this process is very rewarding.

How do you spend your time outside of school/work?

I am a mother of a 4th grader, and a 7month old puppy, most of my time is spent living with them and being part of their growth. I also tend to squeeze in time for myself and dedicate any free time to exercising and/or catching up with old childhood friends.

What else would you like to share with our readers?

To want a change, is to embrace a challenge, the challenge is where every day you work to do better than what you accomplished yesterday. Self growth is power.

The post Daysi Rodriguez, Scholarship Awardee appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.

Tell us about yourself and what led you to 56勛圖厙 Bothell:

In my free time I enjoy hiking, cooking, catching up on different shows/movies and spending time with my friends and family. As someone who has always wanted to pursue a college degree, I was fairly indecisive when it came to narrowing down an area of study. After spending a quarter at a different School, I knew it felt better to be closer to home and family. I was born and raised in Washington and have always appreciated the beautiful nature there is to offer. Having seen the range of degree options, Bothell felt perfect for myself as I could dip my toes in different areas and see where I found the best fit for myself.

How did your experience in your coursework help you find your career path or area of focus?

Early in my experience at 56勛圖厙 Bothell, I was fairly unsure what my field trajectory was. I enjoyed Interdisciplinary study and writing courses. I knew Science-heavy courses were not my strong suit. However, after taking a few Health Studies electives, I felt confident that I had found the fit for me. One of my favorite things about the program is the array of courses offered that touch on different topics and areas worth pursuing. After finding a deep affinity for Global Health topics, I became familiarized with Health Education & Promotion courses which allowed me to engage in similar discussions on a deeper level. It was through these classes, I could apply course concepts with real-world examples and get practical experience in the field.

In general, I have found the material I learned in the Health Studies program as well as courses in Global Health and Health Education & Promotion have immediate implications on the work I carry out and has prepared me with life-long skills. One of my proudest moments at 56勛圖厙 Bothell involved helping organize an Alumni Panel during my time as Co-President of the Health Studies Student Association (HSSA). Getting the opportunity to hear from fellow Alumni on their journey as well as collaborating with my fellow Club Officers, peers and the School of Nursing & Health Studies was a deeply rewarding experience!

Where has life taken you since graduation and what are your future plans?

Since graduating, I have been working with Snohomish Health District���s Covid-19 Response Team as a Disease Intervention Specialist. My work primarily focuses on coordinating our response with Schools and Child Care facilities in Snohomish County. I plan on taking the CHES Exam soon and applying to 56勛圖厙���s MPH in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice.

Was there a faculty, staff or student service that had a positive impact on your success?

I am so grateful for my Undergraduate Research experience with the help of Dr. Jody Early and my research partner, Kathy Luangrath. We were able to develop this around the topic of college health outcomes concerning mental health, substance use, sexual & reproductive health, nutrition and Covid-19 impacts on a nontraditional, commuter campus. Additionally, I am thankful for the experiences I made as a Senior Coordinator for the BASTA Coalition of Washington in coordination with Dr. Vicky Breckwich Vasquez. I worked alongside subcommittees to expand education & training, media communication and public policy efforts toward eliminating sexual harassment against farmworker women in Washington state.

What else would you like to share?

With such a broad program, it can be easily applied to different specialties. Material and coursework is beneficial and relevant to any route you decide to take. Lastly, Faculty and Students are so incredibly helpful and supportive of each other!

The post Hannah Berg, HS ’21 appeared first on School of Nursing & Health Studies.