Mary Tran, a second-year MPH candidate at the Drexel School of Public Health, spent much of her time during Spring Break last year thinking about what was going to happen when classes resumed the following week.
However, she did not return to class that week.
Instead she decided to spend a week volunteering at the Nuestra Señora de Fátima Elementary School in Cartago, Costa Rica. From March 30 through April 5, Mary spent her time painting classrooms and playing with children in the impoverished city. She also visited a number of shantytowns close to the school in a region known as Los Diques.
It was Mary’s first over-seas trip, and it was a little shocking at first.
"It was a very eye opening experience," said Mary. "Many of the children experience different forms of trauma, and the school is their only source of support. The volunteer experience allowed me to get a different perspective on vulnerable communities and apply first-hand what I have learned at the School of Public Health. It also allowed me to practice cross cultural solutions and become a real advocate for helping others."
At Drexel, Mary is finding that her global health experience can be applied to help others in the local Philadelphia area. Her research at the School of Public Health helped to raise awareness and education about asthma and diabetes within the city’s African American community. Working with the 52nd Street Business Association and the STEPS for a Better Philadelphia, Mary created health literature about asthma and diabetes, and held discussions about preventing these diseases alongside community members at local barber shops, beauty salons and schools in African American communities.
"I wanted a school where I would be out in the field practicing public health. Drexel’s practicum projects and problem-based learning was a real draw for me," said Mary. "I plan on pursuing a career in medicine, but I first wanted to take a broader look at healthcare. Experiencing public health will help me to make an impact on the health of not just one person at a time, but on an entire community, and make me a more effective healthcare professional."
In addition, Mary’s volunteerism and research also dovetails with the School of Public Health’s focus on the importance of entwining public health and human rights.
"When I saw that the School of Public Health put a significant emphasis on human health and human rights, I knew it was where I wanted to go," said Mary.
Mary graduated from the University of California at Berkley with a degree in molecular and cell biology. She was raised in Oakland, CA, but now lives in Philadelphia.
Her efforts in Costa Rica and in Philadelphia are an example of how students at the School of Public Health are socially conscious and are working everyday to improve the health and safety of others across the globe.
For more profiles of students "living" public health at Drexel University, please visit the main Student Profiles page.