Beginning the MPH Program – From a Grad Student’s Perspective
My name is Mary Obideyi, I previously graduated from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in 2016. My experience at CSULB was amazing and unforgettable. When I entered CSULB I was a pre-nursing major. I wanted to go into the nursing field because I knew it came with job security. There is not a place in this world where you can’t get a job as a nurse. With that being said, I did all my prerequisites in nursing, but unfortunately I did not get into the nursing program in CSULB or any outside nursing program. I then switched my major to Health Care Administration (HCA) and at that time I did not want to change my major. I saw the HCA as a major for people who were rejected from nursing schools. However, my major change was a blessing in disguise because it opened many doors for me in the long run. My HCA professors were a big help to me at that time, because they helped to connect me to health conferences and associations where I was able to network with other HCA professionals. In addition, my major required that we had to participate in a practicum in our last year. With the help of my CSULB professors, I was able to get an internship at Riverside County, Department of Public Health in the Disease Control and HIV/STD Programs. Those internships gave me great work experience in the public health sector. The internships eventually turned into a full-time job for me as a Communicable Disease Specialist for the Riverside County by educating the public about risk reductions in contracting HIV/STDs.
Working in the public health department helped me realize that I enjoy helping people from a public health perspective. My time in the public health department ultimately led me into pursuing my Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) at California Baptist University (CBU). At first I was nervous in applying for the graduate program at CBU. However, my nervousness soon went away because I was able to get assistance with the whole application process from a CBU graduate counselor. The Public Health Science Department at CBU is a family oriented place. From the first day, as I entered the building and met the Public Health faculty, I was warmly welcomed. Since then, I knew I wanted to be in the MPH program at CBU.
Now fast forward a year later, I will soon be finished with my first year of the program, by the end of June 2018! As I look back at my first year, I honestly thank God for surrounding me with amazing professors, faculty, and classmates who are currently helping me to succeed in the program. The MPH program here at CBU is a rigorous program, however you do not feel alone. No one in the program is competitive, we all believe that any health job/career you eventually decided to go in, is really FOR YOU! God will open those doors as you put your trust in Him. That is why I believe in the saying “when one door shuts on you, another door opens.” If you are applying for graduate school, ask yourself if this is the type of discipline or program you want to go into. Take your time and ask for help if you don’t understand the graduate application process. It is not a race to get into a graduate school because it is your life and you want to be happy in the career you pursue. Like CBU says you want to LIVE YOUR PURPOSE!
Stay blessed,
Mary Obideyi
Master of Public Health – In Progress
