Arshnoor Grewal, MPH ‘26 Global Health
Congratulations on your acceptance to Rollins! I’m sure you are very excited, as I was, and looking forward to beginning a new chapter focused on your Master’s in Public Health. I would like to share some tips and certain things I found helpful to do to properly prepare before starting my first semester.
1. Connect with Rollins Faculty and Professors
One of Rollin’s greatest assets is its faculty, who are respected leaders in their field of public health. The faculty of Rollins and Emory University are highly responsive and friendly, especially to incoming students, to welcome them. Before I began my semester, I used the faculty directory to explore the research and work professors were conducting to see if it aligned with my interests, and reached out to them! They may become bombarded after the semester starts, so reaching out earlier before the semester starts can allow them to find time to talk to you and establish a connection before it gets busy during the academic semester.
Being a student has a special privilege where telling someone you are a student makes them want to be invested in your growth and future, and when I emailed professors before the start of the semester, I was surprised to see how kind their responses were. Often, if they did not have any opportunities, they would redirect me or introduce me to another faculty member. Do not be afraid to reach out! I, myself, found it awkward as a first-generation student, but they truly want to help and support you.
You may ask what to email or say? I was interested in job opportunities and simply getting involved with their research. If you can already imagine a job after your MPH, you can ask them how they enjoy their field, what potential employment opportunities are in their field, and this can apply to any faculty at Emory University. You are an Emory student, and can reach out to medical school or law school faculty if you plan to pursue those after your MPH.
2. Job Finding
I’m sure securing a job or learning how to support yourself financially is a concern before you enter the semester. Every student coming in will be looking for an opportunity, and personally, I began applying and emailing in July and got interviewed in August before the semester began, so it is never too early to start!
Prepare and update your resume. Whether you graduated, worked, or attended a conference, include it, so you’re ready to apply.
After your acceptance, you will have access to Rollins’ resources, such as 12Twenty, which is our job board. Begin exploring 12Twenty and see if there are any job opportunities that are of interest. Prepare your profile and upload your resume. A lot of REAL jobs will also be uploaded here on 12Twenty, but do not be discouraged if you are not a REAL student. Other jobs will be posted. Emory University also has a career website with opportunities, so if you are looking for a part-time or full-time job, then it is also a great place to check!
There are multiple centers at Rollins and Emory, such as Emory Global Diabetes Research Center, Food Fortification Initiative, The Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast, etc. See if they have any jobs posted or reach out to students who were previously employed to hear about their experiences!
Emory University and Rollins are partnered with multiple organizations and universities, such as the Carter Center, Task for Global Health, and universities in Atlanta, such as Morehouse, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State University. See if they have any job postings or any faculty that you may be interested in working with. Reaching out and cold emailing faculty is a great option, and this applies to any university in the Atlanta area.
3. Explore Courses
In your first semester, most of your courses will be required and already planned for you, but do not be afraid to look at other courses. You can explore courses at Atlas. Explore certificates and try a course in the certificate to see if it interests you. Another great asset of being a Rollins student is that you can take any course at Emory University. If you are interested in learning a language, take a Spanish or Portuguese course on the undergraduate campus. Take a business course at the Goizueta Business School.
As a Global Health student, my first semester workload was lighter, so I took Intro to R for the Data Science certificate. I wish I’d taken another course since I had more free time. Make the most of your effort and resources and explore your interests! Of course, enjoy yourself and don’t overload, but try new things since you can always drop a course later.
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