Rachel Bard
Voorhees, NJ
MPH, Health Management and Policy
About Rachel
Life at Dornsife: After attending an Open House day at DSPH and hearing the professors and students speak about the endless opportunities available both within the school and its surrounded area, I knew Drexel was the school for me. Dornsife was founded with the principle that health is a human right, this principle is easily seen within all the courses taught here!
Practicum: HealthShare Exchange (HSX)
Favorite Place on Campus: The Main Building is so beautiful especially when it is decorated for the holidays!
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Toss-up between the House of Cupcakes truck and the Papermill Spuritto truck!
Hope Dehnert
Hershey, PA
MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health
(minor in Global Health)
About Hope
Life at Dornsife: Life at Dornsife is great. Dornsife has afforded me many opportunities, one of the most important being the chance to practice Global Health. I had the opportunity to study abroad as a graduate student and live in Israel while attending Ben-Gurion University. The program also afforded me the ability to work in Global Health with Physicians for Human Rights- Israel for my practicum experience. I also serve on the Master of Public Health Admissions Committee as a student representative alongside several faculty members across different departments. It's important to network and seek out any opportunity you may have interest in, because the Dornsife faculty and staff can lead you to achieving your goals!
Practicum: Physicians for Human Rights - Tel Aviv, Israel
Favorite Place on Campus: Drexel Park, because it has the best view of the city! Bring a blanket!
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Happy Sunshine Lunch Truck, 33rd and Arch Streets
Sharon Dei-Tumi
Accra,Ghana
MPH, Epidemiology
About Sharon
Life at Dornsife: Great resources, amazing faculty and supportive staff.
Practicum: Data Management Analysis of the Impact of Water Sanitation and Hygiene Programs in Health Facilities and Schools.
Favorite Place on Campus: GSA lounge
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Haamid's Halal - across from the recreational center.
Kareena Hundal
Walnut Creek, CA
MPH, Epidemiology
(minor in Infectious Disease and Prevention)
About Kareena
Life at Dornsife: Dornsife is definitely way different than California, but I have really enjoyed the change of pace. The professors at Drexel are all helpful and available to ensure that you succeed both in class and professionally.
Practicum: Graduate Student Research Assistant at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Favorite Place on Campus: When the weather is nice out, I love to hang out around Lancaster Walk. There are always a lot of people going by and most of the time there are cute dogs that are running around.
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: The halal truck right outside of the gym. The guys that work there are always so nice and friendly and they joke around at how often I come by because I get food from there when I stay at Nesbitt late, so now we have become friends!
Alexis Johnson
New York, NY
MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health
(minor in Infectious Disease and Prevention)
About Alexis
Life at Dornsife: Life at Dornsife is different every day. Can be very exciting going to different spotlights and learning about different research. It can also be very intense around midterms and finals. We are sort of like our own community and you can find support here with whatever you need.
Practicum: Dornsife Global Development Scholars
Favorite Place on Campus: Nesbitt Hall, 7th floor lounge
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Kami Korean Food Truck
Melissa Matthews
Hoover, AL
MPH, Community Health and Prevention
(minor in Infectious Disease and Prevention)
About Melissa
Life at Dornsife: Life at Dornsife is always changing and fast paced, but the professors will work with you and your cohort is a reminder you are not alone.
Practicum: Patient Safety Authority
Favorite Place on Campus: Nesbitt Hall, 7th floor lounge
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Tran's Food Truck
Paola Maysonet
Wheeling, WV
MPH, Community Health and Prevention
(minor in Program Monitoring and Evaluation)
About Paola
Life at Dornsife: Hectic and fast-paced! Dornsife provides so many opportunies to strengthen your academic and professional skills and volunteer with in the community. I try not to miss out!
Practicum: Through funding from the Urban Health Collaborative, I am conducting research investigating Philadelphia's response towards Puerto Rican evacuees affected by Hurricanes Maria and Irma. I am currently interviewing organizations within the grassroot, non-profit, and city sectors who have helped the evacuees. Connections to these organizations are guided through the Philadelphia Prevention Partnership. I hope to analyze the organizations' successes and challenges and what further needs must be put in place to help this traumatized population.
Favorite Place on Campus: 7th floor of Nesbitt Hall - best place to simultaneously study and talk to peers!
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Freddy and Tony's Restaurant
Steeve Ndjila Ndohnwou
Douala, Cameroon
MPH, Epidemiology
About Steeve
Life at Dornsife: I chose the Dornsife SPH for it's particular emphasis on community-based interventions. The many fascinating projects run by students and staff lay a great platform for developing public health skills. I was definitely inspired by the many opportunities to get involved in rich and diverse experiences both nationally and internationally the school provides. I hold an active role as an Executive Board Member within the Dornsife SPH Student Government Organization (S.G.O). I equally currently work at the Urban Health Collaborative, where I am a research assistant to Gina Lovasi, PhD, MPH, with whom I work on Community-level development projects in Latin America.
Practicum: I went to Rwanda as a Dornsife Global Development Scholar to work with WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) efforts in informal communities.
Favorite Place on Campus: the LeBow College of Business, Lobby
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
Elina Paul
Kinnelon, NJ
MPH, Health Management and Policy
About Elina
Life at Dornsife: I am currently an Office Assistant for Student Affairs and the Vice President of the Health Management and Policy Club. Dornsife School of Public Health has provided me with various networking opportunities, as well as learning experienes. The professors and staff are both encouraging and supportive to ensure you make the best out of your experience here and the resoures that Philadelphia offers.
Practicum: The Roberts Center for Pediatric Research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Favorite Place on Campus: Starbucks
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Spurrito Food Truck
Diksha Ramnani
Cypress, CA
MPH, Epidemiology
About Diksha
Life at Dornsife: Dornsife School of Public Health is very welcoming! There are multiple opportunities that students can take advantage of and contribute their own perspectives. The focus on collaboration is very evident in the classroom and the larger community. Involvement in school activities and beyond has been the highlight of my time here thus far.
Practicum: Clinical Research Study Coordinator at Drexel School of Medicine working on a hemodialysis study.
Favorite Place on Campus: The pool at the gym.
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Landmark
Cassandra Rehborn
Collegeville, PA
MPH, Health Management and Policy
About Cassandra
Life at Dornsife: I enjoy being an active member in the community and at school. I serve as the Secretary of the Health Management and Policy Club and a Student Ambassador. I have had the pleasure to meet wonderful people in my fellow cohort and work with them collaboratively on many school projects. I have also been able to make strong friendships which has helped me grow and enjoy my time in graduate school that much more. I am grateful for all of the people I have met at this school, as well as the teachers. Everyone has encouraged me to build upon my character, and be the best student possible.
Practicum: For my Depth Experience, I interned for the ABIM Foundation and worked on the Choosing Wisely Campaign. This campaign aims to reduce unnecessary care, tests, or medications and increase the conversations between the patient and physician. My main responsibility was performing an environmental scan. To do this I reviewed journal articles on implementation, extracted important information, and reach out to authors for any missing information. This also included a lot of organization and categorization of current Articles in file. Another task included assisting in the learning network expansion.
Favorite Place on Campus: Either Nesbitt Hall, 3rd floor or the Korman Center.
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia:Favorite food truck on campus is Mike's Food Stop. I also enjoy going to the Reading Terminal Market for a quick bite. Some of my favorite restaurants in the city include El Vez, Gran Caffe L'Aquila, and Twenty Manning Grill.
Haley Schupp
Reading, PA
MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health
About Haley
Life at Dornsife: I am the President of the Environmental and Occupational Health Club. I chose Drexel because of its integrated learning within Philadelphia through the Dornsife Center and the Urban Health Collaborative. I especially enjoy the rigorous coursework that makes me think outside of the box.
Practicum: The goal of the project is to find areas within the Kensington neighborhood that have potential for production of high levels of air toxicant. Once areas of potential pollution were identified, then I will collect air quality samples on site. This work is significant in determining pollution points in Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The goal of this project was to minimize pollution in the area and bring awareness to the population of the pollution dangers.
Favorite Place on Campus: Joe's Coffee
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Kami Korean Food Truck
Kendall Seigworth
Lancaster City, PA
MPH, Community Health and Prevention
About Kendall
Life at Dornsife: I chose Dornsife because there are so many research and practice opportunities for students on a local, national, and global scale. I have greatly enjoyed being able to pursue my varied interests in injury prevention and control, social and behavioral science research, and bioethics.
Practicum: I am a FIRE (Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends) Fellow at the FIRST (Fire Injury Research and Safety Trends) Center. I conduct research on the SAVER (Stress and Violence in fire-based EMS Responders) grant project. The goal of this mixed methods study is to identify predictors of stress and injury experienced by EMS responders. Also, by describing specific incidents of violence that EMS responders face while on the job, the FIRST Center team is promoting innovation in the field of occupational health and safety policy.
Favorite Place on Campus: Lancaster Walk
Favorite Food Truck or Restaurant in Philadelphia: Era Ethiopian Bar and Restaurant