Kelly Fraser’s journey in USF’s online Master of Public Health program is a testament to how digital education can be brought to life and create opportunities for students worldwide. Fraser’s online educational experience was enhanced with a study abroad project in Madagascar, one aiming to help provide clean drinking water for locals in the city of Toamasina.
The allure of USF’s online MPH program was bolstered by its established reputation and the unique concentrations it offered. Fraser chose the Global Disaster Management, Humanitarian Assistance, and Homeland Security concentration, which perfectly aligns with her career goals and aspirations.
BEGINNING HER PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY
Fraser earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations at The Ohio State University. After graduating, she joined AmeriCorps in a disaster management role where she was placed with the American Red Cross.
While there, she had the opportunity to work on several inspiring projects. One initiative included a home fire safety campaign where she helped install smoke alarms in low-income houses. Fraser was also involved in the Pillowcase Project, which taught kids how to create an emergency kit in a pillowcase.
After spending five years working in the global health sphere for non-profits, Fraser found it challenging to progress in the field without a master’s degree in public health.
“I was working on disaster projects, but most of my work was actually in grants and compliance,” she said. “I wanted to get more into working with communities, which was a little harder without additional education.”
FINDING USF
Fraser wanted to find a way to merge her passion for international relations and disaster management. That’s when she discovered USF’s Master of Public Health program.
“I knew I wanted to do something online because I still wanted to work full time,” Fraser said. “I came to USF because of the established online program and the humanitarian relief concentration I was interested in.”
The globally focused concentration of USF’s MPH teaches students how to analyze issues related to social justice and human rights principles, understand the role of government and military in the disaster management cycle, and manage public health programs nationally and internationally.
PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
According to Fraser, one of the most impactful courses in the MPH program was Professor Amber Mehmood’s Public Health Emergencies in Large Populations class.
The class incorporated a lot of group work, fostering an interactive environment that Fraser deeply appreciated.
“There are basic guidelines you’re expected to meet in a humanitarian response,” she said. “And so, we were constantly consulting those guidelines during our group work, and it prompted us to think through how we would address different situations.”
APE EXPERIENCE
A key component of USF’s Master of Public Health program is an applied practical experience (APE), where students can complete an internship or participate in a community-based project.
Fraser came across the opportunity to join a project in Madagascar for two months over the summer and jumped at the chance.
“We partnered with a local non-governmental organization, called Ranontsika, to help provide low-cost, clean drinking water to the community,” she said. “The community members in Toamasina were mostly getting their water from shallow groundwater pumps, so we worked on ways to clean their water storage containers to remove contamination.”
The experience was organized and led by Professor Jeffrey Cunningham of the College of Engineering and Associate Professor Mahmooda Pasha of the College of Public Health.
CAREER GOALS
In the future, Fraser plans on using the skills and knowledge she gained in Madagascar in a role in global health or global disaster management.
With many NGOs seeking employees who have international experience, her experience will help her stand out from the competition.
“Having this background and being able to say I have on-the-ground public health experience in a rural community in Madagascar will be super valuable with a lot of the employers that I’m interested in,” Fraser said.
Learn more about USF’s Master of Public Health program.