Whether through vaccines or occupational safety, many of the past century’s achievements in healthcare have come about as the result of strong public health measures. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of this field in many aspects and has pushed public health to the forefront at a time when climate change is also a growing issue for global governance. As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for the intersections of both these issues and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as the global public health threat that it is. The most influential people in my life have always been the people closest to me. My parents immigrated to Canada from Cameroon as young adults and taught me a strong work ethic – to honor your family and work hard. When I immigrated to the USA at 6 years old, I knew the trajectory of my life would be forever changed and while my parents adjusted to yet another western nation, my twin-brother and I traversed through English-language classes and the typical American school experience. My family has nurtured me, guided me and comforted me and I am grateful to still have them by my side as I enter graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. In the same vein, although it wouldn’t be fair to give credit to a single person, I learned so much from my Aunt Nanette who lives in Paris, France. Similar to my parents, she also immigrated from Cameroon as a young adult. Majoring in medicine at the prestigious University of Milan, she trained to become a licensed doctor and learned 3 other languages in the meantime. I can’t imagine moving to another country fresh out of high school, but her bravery and determination inspire me to this day. In terms of my career path, she has also encouraged me in my decision to study public health instead of medicine (a more respected field in my family) and has instilled in me the shared belief that when you help someone, you help everyone. She has taught me the pertinence of balancing empathy and compassion with self-respect and dedication and that keeping your head held high can help you in work and life. Today she is a practicing doctor at one of the top hospitals in Paris (Hôpital Paris Saint-Joseph) and continues to inspire me to dream big and achieve. I am passionate about issues like climate change, food security and environmental justice and I believe that my future as a public health scientist exists at a crucial time for the nation and the world. After graduating with a 3.8 GPA from the University of Maryland after initially deferring due to visa issues, I am looking forward to completing a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. If I am awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in the federal or private sector. As the top public health school in the world, the skills, and ideas that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing climate health both at home and abroad. I can only hope that my future self can be proud of the steps that I have taken to become a successful and happy individual and worker in my respective communities. Thank you for your consideration.

As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for the intersections of natural and human health and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as a global public health threat. I believe that my future as a public health scientist exists at a crucial time for the nation and the world. Never before has the intersection of science, climate and social/public health been more prevalent and I hope to be an impassioned voice for the myriads of issues that fall under this umbrella. I am originally from Quebec, Canada but have been living in Maryland for 15 years now. Despite being only 6 years old at the time, I knew that immigrating to the USA with my Cameroonian parents would change the trajectory of my life forever. Despite all these changes, one constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. In high school, I spent time writing environmental articles for the school paper but quickly realized that journalism was not for me. I also spent some time volunteering for the National Park Service which solidified this passion. After transferring to University of Maryland to complete my bachelors, I finally began taking courses rooted in environmental health and it was through these classes that I was able to explore the aspects of the discipline that most interested me. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, learning more about historical environmental injustices, analyzing local water quality, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my beliefs on the aspects of public health that I am most drawn to. As I continue on my path, pursuing a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University will enable me to build upon these areas of interest at the top public health school in the world. As a renowned institution of higher learning, the skills and ideas that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Moreover, through application and coursework I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to preventative environmental health and the elimination of health disparities. As a student living in a single-income household with two other college aged students, the decision to attend graduate school was not made lightly. I deeply understand the opportunity that being accepted into JHU represents and I knew it was something I could not pass up-even if I've had to rake in student loan debt. Winning this scholarship will help pay off these loans and strive for a post-grad position dictated not by financial anxiety but instead by my aspirations of a better world.

Whether through vaccines, infectious disease control or occupational safety, many of the past century’s achievements in healthcare have come about as the result of strong public health measures. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of this field in many aspects and has pushed public health to the forefront at a time when climate change is also a growing issue for global governance. As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for the intersections of both these issues and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as the global public health threat that it is. I am originally from Quebec, Canada but have been living in Silver Spring, Maryland for 15 years now. Despite being only 6 years old at the time, I knew that immigrating to the United States would change the trajectory of my life forever. While my Cameroonian parents adjusted to another Western nation, my twin brother and I traversed through English-language classes and the typical American school experience. Despite all these changes, one constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. In high school, I spent time writing environmental articles for the school paper, but quickly realized that journalism was not for me. I also spent some time volunteering for the National Park Service which solidified this passion, however, I was still unsure of what to do with it. Shortly after this, I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. I knew the importance of higher education in terms of opportunity and wanted to continue attaining knowledge, even if it meant attending a community college. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland to complete my bachelor's, I finally began taking courses rooted in environmental health and it was through these classes that I was able to explore the aspects of the discipline that most interested me. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, learning more about historical environmental injustices, analyzing local water quality, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my beliefs on the aspects of public health that I am most drawn to. As previously mentioned, I have experience volunteering with the NPS in the leadup to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. and whether it was clearing the expansive tidal basin or learning more about the importance of urban natural spaces, the knowledge that I acquired from this experience was invaluable. I also volunteered as a laboratory assistant for my microbiology courses, which helped me understand the fundamental sciences of public health. Pursuing a master’s degree in public health from Hopkins will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals such as a groundwater specialist or at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills, and ideas that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing environmental health both at home and abroad.

As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for intersectional issues in both human and environmental health and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as the global public health threat that it is. I am originally from Quebec, Canada but have been living in Silver Spring, Maryland for 15 years. Despite being only 6 years old at the time, I knew that immigrating to the United States would change the trajectory of my life forever. While my Cameroonian parents adjusted to another western nation, my twin brother and I traversed through English-language classes and the typical American school experience. Despite all these changes, one constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. I knew the importance of higher education in terms of opportunity and wanted to continue attaining knowledge, even if it meant attending a community college. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland to complete my bachelor's, I finally began taking courses rooted in environmental health and it was through these classes that I was able to explore the aspects of the discipline that most interested me. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, learning more about historical environmental injustices, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my passion in this field. Additionally, I have experience volunteering with the DC chapter of the National Park Service and whether clearing the expansive tidal basin or learning more about the importance of urban natural spaces, the knowledge that I acquired from this 1-month experience was invaluable. I also volunteered as a laboratory assistant for my biochemical courses, which helped me understand the crucial fundamental sciences of public health. Now after graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am looking forward to pursuing a master’s degree in public health science from the prestigious (and expensive) Johns Hopkins University. If I am awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in positions such as at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing environmental health both at home and abroad.

In my dream life, I would like to imagine that I work as an environmental health specialist somewhere. I'd like to work with the OneHealth model of public health which is a transdisciplinary concept that focuses on issues at the intersection of Human, Environmental, and Animal Health. This could be achieved through positions at various governmental departments (EPA, Interior, DOH, etc…) or nonprofits like the UN. I hope to be motivated and passionate about going to work every day and doing the best I can to synergistically improve both environmental and human health. On a more personal level, my dream living arrangements would have to be in either New England or the Pacific Northwest. I have a modest home with space for a small vegetable/floral garden and am secluded from busy streets, but not too isolated from other people. Most importantly, I’d like to live near either forests and mountains or a body of water. All in all, the life of my dreams entails me living a gratifying and content life. As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for intersectional issues in both human and environmental health and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as the global public health threat that it is. I am originally from Quebec, Canada but have been living in Silver Spring, Maryland for 15 years. Despite being only 6 years old at the time, I knew that immigrating to the United States would change the trajectory of my life forever. While my Cameroonian parents adjusted to another western nation, my twin brother and I traversed through English-language classes and the typical American school experience. Despite all these changes, one constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. I knew the importance of higher education in terms of opportunity and wanted to continue attaining knowledge, even if it meant attending a community college. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland to complete my bachelor's, I finally began taking courses rooted in environmental health and it was through these classes that I was able to explore the aspects of the discipline that most interested me. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, learning more about historical environmental injustices, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my passion in this field. Now after graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am looking forward to pursuing a master’s degree in public health science from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. If I am awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in positions such as at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing environmental health both at home and abroad.

One constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. I regularly began volunteer ships with the National Park Service back in 2018 and our work mainly involves the Tidal Basin area in DC. I am also involved in local groups such as the Sierra Club and Parks Project and regularly communicate on new information related to global environmental health. I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland, I began taking courses rooted in environmental health. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, analyzing local water quality, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my beliefs on the various aspects of environmental public health. Oceanic/water health is a major part of this for me as I believe that the health of our water is intrinsically connected to our own. Pursuing a master’s degree from John Hopkins University will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in positions such as a groundwater specialist or at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills, and ideas that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, water quality and sustainability in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing climate and oceanic health both at home and abroad.

As a commuting student, I manage my physical health by exercising when I get home and walking instead of taking the shuttle bus whenever possible. Mental health can be harder to manage but practicing mindfulness and visiting natural spaces have been helpful for me over the past few years. Mental health is important because it is the basis through which an individual is successfully able to navigate their daily life. Mental health awareness has grown significantly in recent years, and it has been extremely encouraging to see campuses and organizations work to help their members manage their wellness. As a public health major, I believe there is a major connection between sleep and mental health. Although sleep health is often neglected as a field in its own right, it is especially important for college students who often sacrifice sleep hours throughout the semester. In higher education, unhealthy eating habits, courseload, and cognitive capacity/emotional health are not isolated issues, and their overarching effects can significantly reduce a student's ability to thrive even when accounting for factors they can control. On a bigger scale, I have researched extensively on the effects of sleep in the "real world". In one Oxford study, researchers conducted a study using data from 1,046 California residents who received welfare assistance from 2015 to 2018. These numbers were collected in three waves 12 months apart, then were analyzed next to the individual's sleep patterns, including duration and quality. In this study, researchers found that sample members who were unable to make their rent/mortgage payments slept on average 22 fewer minutes a night and had lower quality sleep than those who were able to make their rent/mortgage payments. Additionally, sample members who were forced to move because of an inability to make rent/mortgage payments slept on average 32 fewer minutes a night and had lower quality sleep than those who were not forced to move. These findings support the theory that there is a direct link between housing insecurity and mental wellness and that by compromising sleep health, housing insecurity creates a distinct type of stress that can further exacerbate health disparities. Analyzing data such as this can shed light on numerous other issues and their connection to stress and mental health. It's for this reason that as a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for several overarching issues that can significantly impact mental wellness. After graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am excited to pursue a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious JHU. If awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon areas of interest such as food systems, noise pollution, and the built environment to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me fulfill my goals of connecting environmental and human health in dream positions at the EPA, for instance. APA CITATION OF SOURCE: White, T. (2021, March 3). Housing uncertainty leads to difficulty sleeping, study shows. Verywell Mind. Retrieved 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/housing-uncertainty-and-sleep-difficulty-5114427

Healthy eating habits are important because they are the basis through which an individual is able to successfully operate in their daily lives. The food environment, which focuses on the who, what, when and where of food acquisition is extrinsically linked to health. In the past decade, numerous research has emerged on “food deserts” and their existence in the urban food environment. An opposite of the more frequently used food desert term, food swamps are areas where fast and junk food inundate healthy alternatives. As a college student I have noticed that despite well-meaning efforts these food swamps are commonalities on quads and study centers, certainly contributing to heightened obesity risk in students. As a commuter, I spent most of my undergrad years eating packed lunch for this reason and found my mental and physical state significantly reduced on the rare days that I forgot to pack fresh lunch. It may sound corny but healthy eating habits gave me the energy to face the day and all of my coursework. A broad look at structural factors such as access to transportation, space for exercise, economic resources and geographical proximity can be coupled with a consistent exposure to unhealthy foods to cumulatively lead to disparities in obesity and other health outcomes in populations groups across the US. In higher education, unhealthy eating habits and cognitive capacity/emotional health are not isolated issues and the overarching effects of poor nutrition in general can significantly reduce a student's able to thrive in college even when accounting for factors they can control. It's for this reason that as a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate in environmental health and work on issues related to food access and health equity. I have already completed white papers on several initiatives related to urban gardening and agriculture that can be implemented on campuses nationwide to improve both mental and nutritional health, an aspect of environmental health that I'm very dedicated to. After graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am excited to pursue a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious JHU. If awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon areas of interest such as food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me fulfill my goals of connecting environmental and human health in dream positions at the EPA, for instance.

As a commuting student, I manage my physical health by exercising when I get home and walking instead of taking the shuttle bus whenever possible. Mental health can be harder to manage but practicing mindfulness and visiting natural spaces has been helpful for me the past few years. Additionally, healthy eating habits are important because they are the basis through which an individual is able to successfully operate in their daily lives. The food environment, which focuses on the who, what, when and where of food acquisition is extrinsically linked to health. In the past decade, numerous research has emerged on “food deserts” and their existence in the urban food environment. An opposite of the more frequently used food desert term, food swamps are areas where fast and junk food inundate healthy alternatives. As a college student I have noticed that despite well-meaning efforts these food swamps are commonalities on quads and study centers, certainly contributing to heightened obesity risk in students. As a commuter, I spent most of my undergrad years eating packed lunch for this reason and found my mental and physical state significantly reduced on the rare days that I forgot to pack fresh lunch. It may sound corny but healthy eating habits gave me the energy to face the day and all of my coursework. A broad look at structural factors such as access to transportation, space for exercise, economic resources and geographical proximity can be coupled with a consistent exposure to unhealthy foods to cumulatively lead to disparities in obesity and other health outcomes in populations groups across the US. In higher education, unhealthy eating habits and cognitive capacity/emotional health are not isolated issues and the overarching effects of poor nutrition in general can significantly reduce a student's able to thrive in college even when accounting for factors they can control. It's for this reason that as a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate in environmental health and work on issues related to food access and health equity. I have already completed white papers on several initiatives related to urban gardening and agriculture that can be implemented on campuses nationwide to improve both mental and nutritional health, an aspect of environmental health that I'm very dedicated to. After graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am excited to pursue a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious JHU. If awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon areas of interest such as food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me fulfill my goals of connecting environmental and human health in dream positions at the EPA, for instance.

After graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am excited to pursue a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious JHU. If awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon areas of interest such as food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me fulfill my goals of connecting environmental and human health in dream positions at the EPA, for instance.

As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for intersectional issues in both human and environmental health and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as the global public health threat that it is. I am originally from Quebec, Canada but have been living in Silver Spring, Maryland for 15 years. Despite being only 6 years old at the time, I knew that immigrating to the United States would change the trajectory of my life forever. While my Cameroonian parents adjusted to another western nation, my twin-brother and I traversed through English-language classes and the typical American school experience. Despite all these changes, one constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. I knew the importance of higher education in terms of opportunity and wanted to continue attaining knowledge, even if it meant attending a community college. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland to complete my bachelor's, I finally began taking courses rooted in environmental health and it was through these classes that I was able to explore the aspects of the discipline that most interested me. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, learning more about historical environmental injustices, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my passions in this field. Additionally, I have experience volunteering with the DC chapter of the National Park Service and whether clearing the expansive tidal basin or learning more about the importance of urban natural spaces, the knowledge that I acquired from this 1-month experience was invaluable. I also volunteered as a laboratory assistant for my biochemical courses, which helped me understand the crucial fundamental sciences of public health. Now after graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am looking forward to pursuing a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious (and expensive) Johns Hopkins University. If I am awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in positions such as at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing environmental health both at home and abroad.

As a future public health professional, I hope to be an advocate for intersectional issues in both human and environmental health and work towards increasing the recognition of climate change as the global public health threat that it is. I am originally from Quebec, Canada but have been living in Silver Spring, Maryland for 15 years. Despite being only 6 years old at the time, I knew that immigrating to the United States would change the trajectory of my life forever. While my Cameroonian parents adjusted to another western nation, my twin-brother and I traversed through English-language classes and the typical American school experience. Despite all these changes, one constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. I knew the importance of higher education in terms of opportunity and wanted to continue attaining knowledge, even if it meant attending a community college. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland to complete my bachelor's, I finally began taking courses rooted in environmental health and it was through these classes that I was able to explore the aspects of the discipline that most interested me. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, learning more about historical environmental injustices, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my passions in this field. Additionally, I have experience volunteering with the DC chapter of the National Park Service and whether clearing the expansive tidal basin or learning more about the importance of urban natural spaces, the knowledge that I acquired from this 1-month experience was invaluable. I also volunteered as a laboratory assistant for my biochemical courses, which helped me understand the crucial fundamental sciences of public health. Now after graduating this past spring with a 3.8 GPA, I am looking forward to pursuing a master’s degree in public health science from the prestigious (and expensive) Johns Hopkins University. If I am awarded this scholarship, the funds will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in positions such as at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing environmental health both at home and abroad.

One constant passion of mine has always been that of nature and the environment. I regularly began volunteer ships with the National Park Service back in 2018 and our work mainly involves the Tidal Basin area in DC. I am also involved in local groups such as the Sierra Club and Parks Project and regularly communicate on new information related to global environmental health. I graduated high school without a green card and therefore decided to pursue an associate degree at Montgomery Community College. It was there that I was introduced to public health and more specifically, environmental health- a field where I could combine helping people with my love for the environment. After transferring to the University of Maryland, I began taking courses rooted in environmental health. Whether it was completing labs on air quality rates, analyzing local water quality, or investigating stormwater runoff pollution, assignments such as these fortified my beliefs on the various aspects of environmental public health. Pursuing a master’s degree from John Hopkins University will enable me to build upon these areas of interest to work towards career goals in positions such as a groundwater specialist or at a federal department like the EPA, for instance. As the top public health school in the world, the skills, and ideas that I will gain through this program will also help me better understand the multitude of factors influencing global environmental health and climate change. Lastly, through application and coursework, I will be able to gain experience tackling issues surrounding food systems, sustainability, and the built environment in order to better serve my community in aspects related to environmental health. All in all, this degree will help me continue to pursue my ambitions regarding all the challenges facing climate health both at home and abroad. ​