“When I was young and in college, I took a lot of classes but I also traveled, worked a lot of different jobs and just wasn’t ready to fully commit to school. Waiting until I was more secure and older was really beneficial for me. I found the right program and I just went for it.”
Meghan Howk hails from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and is a current student in Boise State’s Online Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Program. Before discovering the Public Health Program, Howk struggled with identifying a major that aligned with her love for health science and her community.
Why public health?
“I was hearing the stories from women in my life who were thrust into the healthcare system when they became mothers and they didn’t really receive the help they needed. So I knew I wanted to work in a field that helps increase access to healthcare, work with underserved populations and advocates for communities.”
Then she met Rebecca Clawson, a Student Success Coach for the Public Health Program at the time. Rebecca guided Howk through her options and the two worked together to align Howk’s community and advocacy values and health science interest with the public health major.
But Howk had another concern, “I work full-time. Like anyone who starts school in their mid-20s, I have a car, pets, a family structure and I can move but it’s really hard to do.”
Online was right for Meghan
It was the Online Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Program that helped her realize that obtaining a degree was possible.
“When I learned that the program was fully online, had 7-week classes and that I had access to a personal advisor, I felt so excited to try. The great thing about the program is knowing there is so much available to you. Serving underprivileged populations, serving people who don’t have adequate access to healthcare… a degree in public health opens up so many different jobs instead of pigeon-holing yourself into one career. I hope to get my master’s in epidemiology and a public health degree is a great starting point.”
Now, Meghan has found her calling and is on her way to graduating with a bachelor’s degree.
“It’s overwhelming to think about how much I’ve learned and grown in the past semester or even in the last week. I’ve learned so much about the healthcare system, health policy and coalition-building. I felt so in touch with my degree after just one semester and so connected to the field.”
Learn more
To learn more about Boise State’s Online Certificate in Public Health, visit the online Certificate in Public Health website.