Marisa Wong – Environmental Health
Graduate school is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of us and especially a unique and memorable one at that. Two years passes by so fast, trust me. So with that, it’s up to us to make the most of our time at Rollins! Here’s a few tips that I hope you’ll utilize during your experience:
- Read your emails – There’s so many great opportunities, scholarships, events, and much more included in those emails (even if it seems like it’s not that important). Sometimes this information is only shared via email, so make sure to read them!
- Join Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH) Student Organizations – The student organizations at RSPH provide an atmosphere of networking, friendship, and activities. These organizations range from academic interests to community and belonging groups. You’ll meet new people while also learning about the student organization’s purpose and goals. In addition, opportunities for leadership positions within each organization arise every calendar year, meaning that you can build on those soft skills and enhance your Rollins experience at the same time! Make sure to also follow these organizations on social media, as they’re quite active in advertising their events and featuring your fellow students.
- Use the Hub website and Corq mobile application – These two platforms work in conjunction with each other to provide information about student organizations and upcoming events (including free food trucks, influential speakers, formals, and dinners). They also serve as the platforms that house RSVPs to some events, so make sure you’re watching out for something exciting to save your spot!
- Explore Emory’s Campus – The bridge between the Claudia Nance Rollins (CNR) and Grace Crum Rollins (GCR) buildings isn’t the best bridge on campus, I know it’s a hot take. The rest of campus on the other side of bridge separating the graduate schools from the undergraduate side has so much to explore, from the Cox Maker Lab to the Woodruff Physical Education Center (WoodPEC) to Kaldi’s to the Carlos Museum. There’s really something for everyone and so many more places to study, hang out, and unravel on the other side.
- Make an appointment to with your Faculty Advisor – These faculty are here to help you, enjoy meeting you, and have abundant resources. Make sure to contact your faculty advisor early in your Rollins career, so you plant a seed in their head of you, your experience, and your interest. You never know if they have a direct contact to a hiring manager where you want to work or have a great project opportunity that directly aligns with your interests!
- Go to your Professor’s Office Hours – These are under-utilized resources! Professors are full of knowledge and can help you if you’re struggling. Even if you’re not, they are here to provide insight on careers, opportunities, classes to take, and even recommendations in Atlanta! Who knows, you might even need to use them as a reference for an internship or job, so make sure you establish those connections early!
- Study On-Campus and take In-Person Classes – We’ve all lived through the pandemic and know how different it is to experience a virtual meeting or class compared to an in-person one. Well, this is exactly the same case for studying and taking classes. Not only will you get to experience a new environment while being on campus, but you’ll get to see familiar faces pass by and strike up conversation. Even if you’re an introvert, you’ll be able to develop those relationships with your classmates which will help when group project time comes around (and trust me, it comes around quite often). Plus, the RSPH buildings and Emory campus are just too beautiful to avoid!
- Make an appointment at the RSPH Office of Career Development – These career coaches are here for you! They know the ins and outs of the public health industry and can help you with internships, salary negotiations, doctorate school applications, and anything else career-wise that you can think of. Not only can you opt for a one-on-one appointment, but the Office of Career Development also holds special seminars throughout the year that are similar to workshops that can help develop you as a professional.
- Explore Atlanta – Atlanta is the public health capital of the world, they say. Although public health is not the only thing that Atlanta is known for, you should go and experience the rest of the city if you have a chance! If this is your only opportunity to live in Atlanta during your lifetime, you’ll definitely want to check out the city’s culture, the Atlanta-specific scenery, and the diverse eateries. You can find out more about Atlanta recommendations in other blog posts by RSPH ambassadors!
Everyone’s experience will be unique, no matter how similar you think you are to your fellow cohort. That’s totally okay! Graduate school is a commitment, and you have the opportunity to make the most of your experience. Do what feels right and comfortable to you, but don’t hold back from reaching your fullest potential and making the most of your time at Rollins!
Rollins Student Ambassadors 