Class of 2011 Includes First MPH Graduates
Dr. David Buchner, director of the Master of Public Health program, and the 2011 graduates
(L-R): Daniel Donahue, Bridget Cameron, Matthew Briskin, Danielle Brown, Arthur Dmitruk, and Paul Hopkins
Four men and two women will take part in Convocation knowing that they are the first to graduate from the College of Applied Health Sciences with the Master of Public Health degree. Launched in 2009, the MPH program focuses on approaches to reducing the burden of chronic diseases through an interdisciplinary curriculum. Students in the program complete a practicum experience in a community-based health agency and a capstone experience that integrates all aspects of their educational experience. Our first graduates chose to pursue the MPH for a variety of reasons, and their post-graduation plans are varied as well.
Matthew Briskin had an interest in healthcare, but didn't think his undergraduate degree in economics alone would help him build the career he wanted. He will
enter a position after graduation that will draw upon both his economics and public health backgrounds. As a management consultant with Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP,
he will work with predictive analysis, business intelligence, and business performance to help a wide variety of clients, although he hopes to focus on health care
insurance and provider-side clients. In the future, he would like to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree and possibly start his own healthcare consulting
firm. Matthew has project experience with Illinois Business Consulting and Carle Foundation Hospital.
Danielle Brown believes that the focus within health is often on the medical aspect, and that greater attention must be brought to the public aspect. She hopes to work in public health program development, which will allow her to tap into her creativity as well as help people. Before she begins to build her career, she will pursue a doctoral degree in Community Health at the University of Illinois. Through independent studies, she has researched maternal smoking and childhood secondhand smoke, using a feminist health approach. Danielle had her practicum experience with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department, where she worked directly with the health educator and the manager of the Health and Wellness Department to develop community-based programs.
Through the Master of Public Health program, Bridget Cameron sought to expand on and develop her undergraduate work in nutrition with a more comprehensive view of chronic disease prevention. She also wanted to gain practical skills in developing, implementing, and evaluating chronic disease prevention programs. Her goal is to work in health education and outreach in a health agency or nonprofit organization, where she can interact with program participants. Under the supervision of the Center of Advanced Materials for the Purification of Water with Systems (WaterCAMPWS), Bridget had a research assistantship with the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, where she worked on an examination of the effectiveness of granular activated carbon filters in removing trace contaminants from water.
The MPH degree was the next step in Arthur Dmitruk’s path to becoming a healthcare professional. He felt it was a unique opportunity to be part of the first class. He will spend part of the summer completing grant work before seeking employment. Eventually, he would like to return to school to pursue a degree in medicine, and would like to remain in health administration. Arthur was the first Van Vorst Graduate Health Administration Intern at Carle Foundation Hospital. In collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, he researched a form of medical diagnostic imaging known as Magnetic Resonance Elastography. For that project, Arthur constructed a pneumatic actuator.
Daniel Donahue pursued the Master of Public Health degree because he has always been interested in health care on a scale that would help the most people. He said he loves the University of Illinois and jumped at the opportunity when he learned of the MPH program. He is currently seeking employment in health care consulting or program management at a hospital, and hopes to locate in the Chicago area. His career goals are to grow the organization that he joins, although he might return to school for a medical degree in order to become a physician with a public health background.
With a desire to be involved in health policy and administration, Paul Hopkins enrolled in the MPH program to complete a professional master’s degree. He will work through the end of the summer as a project consultant at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, where he also completed his practicum. He is currently interviewing with a variety of businesses and agencies in order to secure a permanent position. Paul’s passion lies with policy and administration related to health care. In the future, he hopes to be in a position to help shape health policy. He is unsure at this time whether he will end up in the public or private sector, but intends to explore both options as he pursues this passion. Paul also served as a board member for Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County.