Alumni Profile: Tyler McDaniel (M. HSPH '20)
Read about HSPH alumni Tyler McDaniel ('20). He is now an Environmental Justice Program Coordinator at the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky.
In what ways did the HSPH program prepare you for your current position?
Having the ability to work on multiple community-engaged projects in class, through research assistantships, and especially through internships gave me a ton of applicable experience. Across multiple organizations, I built a broad skill set through an impressive portfolio of projects working with diverse socio-economic cultural groups. Drawing out the connections between projects, ideas, and places challenged my own ideals while affording foundational experiences that I still lean on when framing my work. Working with/in a community with reciprocity and a uniquely sensitive perspective are tools whose effectiveness was fine tuned in the HSPH program.
What advice would you have for prospective and current students?
Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself. Not only is HSPH a great experiential learning tool but it is also a respectful, open forum for the individual. The folks intimately involved with the HSPH program are open to listening to your needs and criticisms. An understated takeaway that I didn't realize until after I graduated was that HSPH instilled a sense of prioritizing my own well-being while establishing a healthy work-life balance. These are necessary skills not just for grad school but also life generally. Since graduating, I am amazed at how many people I've noticed who don't practice these.
