MSPH Candidate, Sydney Newman, pursues her MPAP with the hopes of helping individuals better their health before illness strikes.

“I wanted to better the health of a lot of people at one time from an upstream approach rather than waiting for individuals to be sick.”

Alumni: Sydney Newman

Program: Master of Science in Public Health (’22 MSPH Candidate) and Master of Physician Assistant Practice (’24 MPAP Candidate)

Tell us a little about your personal and professional journey/ experience prior to starting the MSPH program. I completed my undergraduate degree at UNC Wilmington. I received my bachelor’s degree in public health with a pre-clinical concentration and a double minor in psychology and biology. In undergrad, I fell in love with public health, and I knew that I wanted to continue my education. I researched different programs and found that Campbells had a rural and underserved focus. I instantly knew that Campbell would be the best place for me to continue that education.

Why did you choose Public Health and what benefits do you believe you are gaining/have gained from attending Campbell? I chose the public health program because I was very interested in the well-being of a large population. I wanted to better the health of a lot of people at one time from an upstream approach rather than waiting for individuals to be sick. Campbell’s program focuses on rural and underserved areas where there is a great need for public health professionals. I chose Campbell because of the family and welcoming atmosphere where I am supported professionally and personally.

Please summarize your practicum experience. Include the name of your team, location of practicum, and describe the work you are doing/did during the practicum. I worked with Special Olympics of North Carolina for one group practicum and two individual practicums. Due to COVID-19, my practicum was completed virtually. I worked with the health and fitness team to plan a 10-week virtual fitness program for the athletes. For the first two practicums, I worked to host, plan, and evaluate the program for the fall and spring semesters. For the third practicum, I led the health and fitness team to plan, create, execute and host the summer 10-week program.

Describe your classroom experiences in the MSPH program. If graduating talk about how it helped to prepare you for the position you currently hold or are hoping to gain. My experience in the public health program was a little different than the traditional experience. My cohort was in class during the pandemic making a lot of our classes online instead of the traditional in-person class. Even though we had classes online our professors worked very hard to keep us engaged, provide real-world scenarios and teach us those important public health skills. I applaud my professors for this challenging year because even though I did not have a full in-person experience I still felt supported and engaged, while also learning so much about public health.

What are your future plans in the public health profession/what legacy do you hope to leave? I will be attending physician assistant school at Campbell in the fall. I plan to use all of the amazing knowledge and useful skills that I have learned in the public health program to better myself as a physician assistant. I hope to use my knowledge of the field while in class with other future health care professionals to foster a community of practitioners that want to better the health of the population. I also hope (one day down the road) to teach public health courses at the university level so I can help mold future public health professionals!

“Campbell doesn’t just care about the graduation rate, but the faculty and staff care about molding passionate and caring public health professionals.”

What position did you accept post-graduation?/What position are you hoping to have after graduation? I am hoping to accept a physician assistant job in a rural/underserved area after finishing my PA and MSPH degrees. This position would allow me to use my MSPH degree every day by working with community members and working to better their health.

Why should prospective students choose Campbell Public Health over other Graduate and Professional Schools? I think that prospective students should choose the Campbell’s MSPH program because the professors and staff at Campbell are so passionate about not only public health but the success of their students. Campbell doesn’t just care about the graduation rate, but the faculty and staff care about molding passionate and caring public health professionals.