#2020Trojan: Meet William Jardell, Master of Public Health online program graduate

William Jardell earns his Master of Public Health with a concentration in global health.

Why did you choose to pursue your degree?

I’m very fortunate to have traveled around the world specifically during my time at USC. My experiences abroad led me to choose global health as my concentration because of the positive impact you can have on vulnerable populations across the world in a very multidisciplinary way.

What has been your biggest accomplishment during your studies?

During my practicum, I was able to lead a project in Myanmar on climate change and its impacts on health in local villages. I was able to meet and interact with government officials and local communities to learn about how they are directly affected by climate change. I am very proud of leading the project and being able to see it from start to finish.

What’s an important lesson you learned?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through my time at USC is how interdisciplinary global health work is. In order to create lasting positive change, you must incorporate perspectives from a diverse range of stakeholders. Whether it be local communities, different fields of expertise, or high-level leaders, each voice and the sharing of lived experiences allow global health work to succeed. When we look ahead to the future, we must bring multiple people to the table to solve the world’s greatest health issues.

What’s one of your favorite memories from your program?

My favorite memory during my time in the program was the trip abroad to Geneva, Switzerland for the World Health Assembly. Our group of students was surrounded by individuals who are having incredible impacts on global health and it was an honor to learn from their experiences. Additionally, the caliber of students that joined the trip was incredible and learning from their experiences and getting to know them on a personal level is and will remain to be something that I am very grateful for.

What will you miss most and why?

I will truly miss learning from the incredible faculty and students that are at USC. There is such a breadth of knowledge and experience that within each class you learn something from not only the professors but also the students. It truly is a collective family that pushes each member to grow as global citizens.

What are you doing after you graduate?

I am currently working at the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health and hope to remain with the institute to continue gaining experience and knowledge from the incredible faculty.

What do you look forward to in your career path?

I look forward to being able to empower communities to take charge of their health. It isn’t my goal to solve the world’s problems, it is my goal to provide vulnerable communities with the tools necessary to make positive changes for themselves in a way that is sustainable. I look forward to learning in all that I do and continuing to be a student of the world.

What advice do you have for future grads?

Take advantage of every opportunity presented to you. Their is so much waiting for you on the other side of fear.