Public health plays so many roles in our communities

NAME: Haley Beckert
CLASS YEAR: 2021
HOMETOWN: Waverly
MAJORS: Public health

INVOVLEMENT ON CAMPUS: Track, Admissions Office

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WARTBURG: It was close to home, which I loved, and it gave me the opportunity to continue doing the things that I love, both track and academics!

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: I will be attending graduate school at Allen College in Waterloo in the fall for their Master of Science in occupational therapy program.

HOW HAS YOUR VIEW ON PUBLIC HEALTH SHIFTED SINCE COMING TO WARTBURG: Since coming to Wartburg and since the start of COVID, my view of the importance of public health has just grown even more as I am seeing how it affects everyone in so many ways.

WHAT ROLE DOES PUBLIC HEALTH PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES: Public health is everywhere and plays many roles within our communities, including having a huge focus on prevention of the spread of disease. I am able to make so many connections between what I have learned in public health and many of the other courses that I have taken at Wartburg.

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF SINCE COMING TO WARTBURG: I have learned that I am capable of so many things, including being able to overcome adversity as well as realizing what I am really passionate about through the process.

DID YOU DO ANY INTERNSHIPS WHILE AT WARTBURG: I did an internship through the Des Moines Urban Studies program in the summer of 2019 at the Iowa Department of Public Health, doing research and working with the Substance Abuse Bureau.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS: Do not be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. It might be difficult in the beginning, but you will not regret it!