The inaugural group of graduate students bring a wealth of talent and diverse professional experience to ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ Egan’s fully online program.
In response to the growing need for public health professionals both domestically and globally, ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ University’s Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies launched a fully online Master of Public Health degree in fall 2022.
Designed to be completed in 15-months full-time or 28-months part-time, the graduate program offers a customizable curriculum that meets a broad spectrum of in-demand careers within the public health sector. Coursework reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the field by offering classes in the social and behavioral sciences, health policy and management, epidemiology and biostatistics, and program planning and evaluation, and concludes with a two-semester capstone project involving hands-on fieldwork experience.
Strategically designed to satisfy criteria for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the 42-credit program is structured to meet the needs of a diverse student population, including new college graduates, professionals who have been working in public health or a related health discipline without formal training, and individuals seeking a career change in a rapidly growing field.
¼â½ÐÊÓƵ Egan’s inaugural MPH cohort includes graduate students Nicholas Campagna, Laurence Cass, Olivia Frzop, Lane Kelleher, Anne Larcheveque, and Ionie Sanderson, who represent a wide breadth of professional fields from finance and photography to healthcare and administration.
Following an extensive career in finance and healthcare insurance brokerage, Cass recently decided to return to school to pursue his MPH from ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ.
“After a 30-year career in finance on the insurance side of healthcare, I was considering pursuing an MBA. It seemed the logical next step in continuing my education,” he explained. “I had not heard of a master’s in public health degree previously, and once I started to look into it more carefully, I realized it was the perfect fit for my next chapter in life.”
After enduring a health scare of his own, Cass said he experienced “an awakening of sorts” and realized there were many other aspects of healthcare worth pursuing. He began exploring other ways he could utilize his skills, contacts, and resources to help his community, before ultimately deciding to purse his MPH at ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ.
Sanderson, an oncology nurse with over 12 years’ experience, decided to pursue an MPH so she could be involved in healthcare on a greater scale, “not just at the bedside, focused on only a few patients,” she said. “By understanding the many factors that affect the public's health and having the tools to make a difference, I will be able to make more of a positive impact in the lives of my patients.”
Rooted in science and social justice, ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ Egan’s master’s degree in public health prepares students for a variety of careers that are prevention-oriented, multi-disciplinary, and promote conditions to protect and improve the health of people and communities. Public health workers are involved in a variety of roles, including but not limited to, outbreak investigation, humanitarian response, cancer and heart disease prevention, injury and violence prevention, environmental toxicology, advocacy, immunization, bioterrorism surveillance, food and drug quality, public health nutrition, zoonotic disease control, corporate wellness, and more.
As a student in ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ’s program, Cass says he values the professional and educational excellence from what he describes as “a well-thought-out program, selection of courses, and faculty experts.” For Sanderson, it’s the ability to “explore the complexities of public health and foster critical thinking through challenging assignments, while exposing students to a broad range of public health disciplines.”
On his experience in the program so far, which he describes as being “outstanding,” Cass said “I am having a ball! The classes, the refreshed thinking and writing skills, the research capabilities, and the online structure of the program has been perfect for my schedule and has helped fuel my endless, personal curiosity.”
To learn more about ¼â½ÐÊÓƵ Egan’s master’s in public health program, visit fairfield.edu/mph.
