Read What HES Alumna Emily Denight Values from her HES Education

“After graduating with my B.S. in Health Science and earning my Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential, I served in the Peace Corps as a community health development worker in Burkina Faso. After that experience, I accepted a job at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) as their Adolescent Health Educator. I know that my education from Truman and having my CHES played a significant role in my selection for the job at DHSS. I am now in my second year of coursework to obtain a Master of Public Health with a focus in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Minnesota. I am also starting a yearlong Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) fellowship. I know that I would not have had many of these opportunities without my education from the Truman HES department. One of the best things about the HES program is the ability to connect with classmates and faculty. By the end of my time at Truman, I had mastered relationship building which remains helpful years after graduation. By having smaller class sizes, HES students are given the chance to build social networks, which is not always possible in larger learning environments. I still feel comfortable reaching out to my former professors if I need a recommendation or advice, or checking in with former classmates about job opportunities or professional guidance.

-Emily Denight, Health Science (‘11)