Student Spotlight – Marla Allen

Name: Marla Allen
Major: Master of Public Health, Epidemiology Concentration
College: Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, ECU
Year in School: 2nd year graduate student

Why did you decide to attend East Carolina University?

I decided to attend ECU because the Masters of Public Health program had everything that I wanted. I wanted to concentrate in Epidemiology, but also focus on rural areas in North Carolina especially Eastern NC. I felt that the program would give me opportunities to grow in my career aspirations and goals within the department. Along with other departments in the university and organizations that they are affiliated with.

What do you appreciate most about your ECU education?

I appreciate the opportunities that I have been given during this program and the support from faculty and staff. I have had numerous experience in various areas via my graduate assistantship and my internship. I have had the opportunity to teach Health 1000 and do research with the Undergraduate Public Health Department as part of my graduate assistantship. I also had the opportunity to do my internship at the state level with the NC DHHS Office of Rural Health working on the Community Health Worker Initiative to start the CHW Core Competence Training that will be hosted in six community colleges starting in January 2020. If it was not for the faculty and staff I would not have had these opportunities to learn and grow not only personally but in my education as well.

What are your career ambitions?

My career ambitions are to work in academia long term, but until then I want to work for a university doing research or work in health at the state level. I am interested in working on research or policy that would change health outcomes, decrease disparities, and close gaps in social determinants of health in NC. My MPH degree will allow me to have new perspectives on how I can help and make changes to improve the lives of North Carolinians.