“My personal experiences pushed me to continue exploring what public health means,” Richards said. “I think using those experiences and identities that you have in your personal life to fuel you is really important — and those perspectives are needed in the health field.” 

In June, Richards graduated from the ����vlog��Ƶ with a master’s degree in Community Health & Social Justice. From selecting classes to pursuing research opportunities, her experiences were the driving force behind everything she did, including a fellowship with the UW’s . The Community Health & Social Justice program aims to support the urgent need for health professionals who understand the root causes of inequities — and have the education and skills to address them. 

In her second year, Richards was awarded a fellowship with the  — an interdisciplinary research center established under the UW’s School of Social Work to promote the health and well-being of Latinx individuals, families and communities in Washington. Offered annually, the fellowship is awarded to graduate or professional students who demonstrate a commitment to improving the health of Latinx communities. 

Richards was nominated and endorsed by several SNHS faculty members. 

I didn’t even know this was an opportunity that was out there. I’m so glad that the faculty were looking out for me and thought that I was a good fit.

For more information, read the full article!

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Kashpa Khan and Isabella Humphries, two alumnae from UW Bothell’s Health Studies program are working as part of the Patient Engagement and Navigation team at HealthPoint — a nonprofit community health center based in the Greater Seattle area. Khan and Humphries connect patients with the resources they need. Read more about how these Health Studies alumnae are making a difference in our community!

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Shanell Brown, who earned her MN in 2023, has founded Shades of Divinity, a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating health inequities. Read more about Shanell, her educational experiences, and her plans for the future.

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My name is Vivian Lubwama, and my pronouns are she/her. I graduated in the class of 2023
from the Health Studies program.
I love that UW Bothell is a small community that embraces everyone and makes you feel
welcome. I appreciate the small classrooms where the teachers are always there to help and
support you. I especially enjoyed the epidemiology course, which encouraged me to start a
career path in researching and studying diseases. This led me to begin my career at the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where I’ll be working in the hematology department.

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Tell us about yourself and what led you to UW Bothell.

I’m a first-generation Latina and I was able to be in running Start in the Everett Community College where I received my DTA in Arts and Sciences, I knew that I loved having the small campus experience, where I could connect with my teachers and feel heard.

How did your experience in your coursework help you find your career path (area of focus)? You may want to tell us about a moment at UW Bothell that you are proud of, what you’ve carried over from your education, and what has fueled your passion.

I knew I wanted to work in the community through previous volunteering during my High School and College experiences, but through a summer class around Program Planning and Evaluation, I was able to connect with LETI during their Latino Expo where my group was able to create an activity for the community around healthy eating, interactive activity for children, and offering alternatives for seasoning food with low sodium spices. That’s where i realized there are many topics around health and education that minority communities aren’t aware of because of the lack of connection to the system we live in.

Where has life taken you since graduation and what are your future plans?

I began working as the Health and Wellness Coordinator here at LETI before I graduated and have been working here now for a little over 2 and a half years. I absolutely love the work I do here and I plan to help LETI grow and offer services from different locations in the future. I continue to work on furthering my education, and thankfully, my bosses have been very supportive through that path. At this moment I am going to online school through the Western Governors University for my Masters in Health leadership and I would like to have a Ph.D. in Public Health in the future.

Was there a faculty, staff, or student service that had a positive impact on your success?

I would definitely say that all of my professors at the University of Washington had a huge impact on my inspiration and drive to pursue my path because they all have so much experience working in the community on different levels. This got me thinking about all the possibilities and needs that were in the world and it got me looking to begin working on my professional path as soon as I could. Without that push, I wouldn’t have reached out to LETI to volunteer and eventually be hired for my position.

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Tell us about yourself and what led you to UW Bothell.

My name is Mindy Vu (she/hers) and I will be graduating with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Educational Studies and Health Studies.

I am an educator at heart and value identity, culture and community. I have always been interested in development and interpersonal relationships. Outside of the classroom, you can find me hiking or rollerskating when the whether is nice. Additionally, I love to create in any medium, whether that’s through videos, painting, drawing, sewing, or coordinating events, I am there. I also love being part of a community and leading awkward ice breaker so that people start talking to each other.

I would say that blessings led me to UW Bothell. In highschool, I only applied to two schools and I was really hoping to go to UW Seattle. However when my application was rejected I was devasted and UW Bothell was simply an alternative plan I didn’t think to much of. Yet, at UW Bothell and I was grateful to find a community of faculty and peers that have helped me grown in to the person, the friend, the student, the leader and the professional that I am today. Looking back on it these past four years, UW Bothell is more than just a small college campus but is truly a place that I call home.

How did your experience in your coursework help you find your career path (area of focus)? You may want to tell us about a moment at UW Bothell that you are proud of, what you’ve carried over from your education, and what has fueled your passion.

I double majored in Health Studies and Educational Studies because when it was time to apply to a major my 2nd year of college I didn’t really know. And no one else really knew either and they would scrunch their noses and say, “Oh so you want to be a health teacher and teach F.L.A.S.H (reproductive health) to middle schoolers?” It was a great assumption to combine the two majors but yes and no.

I have always been an educator and loved teaching ever since I was a kid. Maybe it was because I was an older sibling and liked to tell people what to do, but prior to college I always found myself in teaching roles as a tutor, violin teacher etc. so for a while I wanted to be a grade school teacher. Yet, my parents had a different plan. They wanted me to be a doctor/nurse because of the salary and ultimately it was the most direct career to helping people. And parts of me really tried to want to be in primary care but after my first “Intro to Cancer Bio” course learning about cells and mitosis it wasn’t something that I wanted to do despite doing well in the class.

Therefore, I think that a moment I was really proud of is when I decided to tell my parents that I didn’t have a set career and made the choice to embrace the unknowns of public health. Of course, as Vietnamese immigrants this horrified them. All they wanted for me was to be financial stable and the vague explanation of public health is was not enough. But as I went through the education and health studies courses, I began to notice that no system, or issue society, whether it’s in the education system or healthcare is isolated. For example, one quarter I took “Education in a Multicultural Classroom” class and “Social Dimensions of Health” class the topics seem entirely unrelated, yet I would reference the education course in my health studies assignments and vice versa. The majors were interdisciplinary and from a social justice lens, the point of connection that I have observed is that in America all systems were designed perfectly to be inequitable and marginalize groups based on their identities (socioeconomic status, race, gender, geographic location etc.) Positionality, intersectionality, power and privileged (all the complicated concepts and big words) these were the constant and reoccurring themes/discussions across systems and within society. Ultimately, that makes it a human problem/struggle, not just in education or health.

In conclusion, I still have a lot to learn and hope to continue to figure out how my skill sets can be best applied to make the systems better for marginalized communities.

Where has life taken you since graduation and what are your future plans?

I will be graduating Winter 2022 but I am currently in Ireland for two months on the ERASMUS Grant. I could never have imagined that I would be studying aboard but I am grateful for the opportunity to studying public health here. Through this experience I have learned a lot about public health but even more about myself and the importance of social connection and relationships with the people around us. Especially because throughout my college career the context of my learning was limited to my world in Seattle. Reflecting on it, I hope to take what I have learned in Ireland into my future career.

My future plans are to hopefully apply to purse Masters in Public Health in December. In the meantime, I will be applying for positions at nonprofits and continue to volunteer and to be involved in my Vietnamese community.

Was there a faculty, staff, or student service that had a positive impact on your success?

I owe all my success to all the people that have supported me throughout my college career. Starting with professors and mentors, and peers that have supported me through my academic and professional but also personal development.

• Dr. Jody Early, Health Studies Professor
• Layla Taylor, CBLR Program Manager
• South East Asian Past and Futures Community, SEAPF/Raissa DeSmet/Nhi Tran
• Billy DeMeyer/Carrie Newman, OTP staff and my students in Team Lavender
• Pauline Tolentino, UWBVSA Community including Johnny Ho, Jenny Nguyen and Michelle Tran

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Daysi gave us the opportunity to learn more about why she chose Nursing and what inspires her.

Why did you choose UW Bothell?

I’ve heard that UW is rated #2 for its undergraduate nursing program in the nation! I wanted to choose a University I knew I was going to get top notch education, holding up to its high educational standards.

Why did you choose Nursing? What/who inspired you to choose Nursing? What/who inspires you now?

At the lowest point in my life, where I had no idea how to raise a child and was without any family support. I met an inspirational nurse that taught me how to prepare for motherhood. This education was so meaningful and impactful to my life that now I want to inspire others, through teachings and education so they too as well have an opportunity to live better lives.

What are your plans after graduation?

I hunger for more knowledge, and after graduation I would like to continue furthering my education and complete my Master’s degree in Science of Nursing. I am a strong believer that with knowledge comes power, with power you can help more people.

Why is supporting the health of diverse communities important?

We are living in a time where health is deteriorating fast related to the pandemic, and all of its negative outcomes drag along with it. Communities need leaders with knowledge, and me being a Nurse in a professional practice can be of help to this community by being anything they need me to be to get them through difficult moments in life.

How do you support the health of diverse communities?

I currently work as a District nurse and I am in constant communication with families about their student health needs, or even just a resource for any questions or concerns they may have. I am their voice for their children and the bridge for better communication between families and school staff personnel.

Of your accomplishments work-wise, which are you most proud of and why?

I am most proud of being able to utilize my spanish speaking abilities and communicate with families, about any questions or concerns they may have. Communication in a school setting is the biggest barrier and being able to help throughout this process is very rewarding.

How do you spend your time outside of school/work?

I am a mother of a 4th grader, and a 7month old puppy, most of my time is spent living with them and being part of their growth. I also tend to squeeze in time for myself and dedicate any free time to exercising and/or catching up with old childhood friends.

What else would you like to share with our readers?

To want a change, is to embrace a challenge, the challenge is where every day you work to do better than what you accomplished yesterday. Self growth is power.

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