“Growing up in a working class immigrant household, college was an absolute dream. It was in my MPH program at UCLA where I learned about the correlation between health, socioeconomic status, and education. I am more motivated than ever to continue a career in healthcare and education with social justice in mind.”

“I am forever grateful to Dr. Shafir, Porchia, Dr. Cole, Dr. Beymer, Dr. Bonta, and the rest of the MPH|HP faculty, for making graduate school so accessible and engaging. I hope you and the rest of the team know what a difference you make to so many students!”

Jessica Arzola, Class of 2021
Educational Psychology, EdD. Candidate
USC Rossier School of Education

“The MPH|HP program gave me foundational knowledge of the field of Public Health at the graduate level that I implemented for a success in the PhD program and will continue to do as a PhD student. It also allowed me to make connections with faculty that have proven valuable to my academic career. As an example, being paired with my Master's Thesis Advisor was the gateway to finding and pursuing my research interest at the PhD level.”

“My dissertation employs a mixed-methods, community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to examine the barriers Latinas in the United States face in preparing for retirement. Drawing first on Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data to identify national trends in retirement readiness among Latinas broadly, I then turn to data from my own pilot project—funded by the UCLA Latinx Studies Seed Grant and California Labor Lab Grant—to examine a specific and understudied population: Latina domestic workers in California, a workforce that largely lacks access to traditional retirement savings avenues and whose savings capacity is hindered by low wages, informal employment, and discriminatory immigration and workplace policies.”

Sandra Garcia, Class of 2022
Community Health Sciences, PhD. Candidate
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

“When I was completing my MPH, I knew that I eventually wanted to pursue a doctorate in public health, I just wasn’t certain of the timing. When I was nearing graduation, I reflected on how much the MPH|HP program gave me a strong foundation in core public health principles and helped me build confidence in my academic abilities and my capacity to take on complex public health challenges. It became clear to me that a doctorate wasn’t just a distant goal, but an attainable reality, and one I could begin pursuing sooner than I had thought.”

“Now, with both a solid foundation and practical experience, I feel fully prepared and motivated to begin my journey toward becoming a Doctor of Public Health. This next step represents an opportunity to deepen my leadership and expand my impact on advancing health equity and systems change. The Doctor of Public Health degree prepares emerging professionals to step into leadership roles in the field, and I am excited for this next chapter in my public health journey!”

Angela Kim, Class of 2024
Implementation Science and Evaluation, PhD. Candidate
Emory Rollins School of Public Health