Jay Nielsen
- McFarland, Wis.
- Environmental public health graduate
- What's next: Hopefully, a short-term internship coordinator position at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the National Center for Environmental Health in Atlanta, then going abroad as a public health care worker in a developing country.
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UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson |
Jay Nielsen plans one day to have a role in helping American communities develop healthier environments in which people can live, work and play.
"The way we have structured our cities, our transportation and our food production in the United States (including what we produce and who has access to healthy foods) does not contribute to a healthy lifestyle that will prevent disease, improve the quality of American life and ultimately drive down health care costs," he said. "I am interested in tying public health to where we live, work and play. I think this tie is becoming very apparent to many Americans, and it is my hope to be involved in providing this benefit to everyone."
But Nielsen plans to accomplish some other goals first, one being to serve as a public health worker improving the quality of life in a developing country.
"Improving the quality of life could mean helping communities in developing countries get safe drinking water and safe sanitary systems," Nielsen said. "These are two things that we in America don’t think twice about, but they are also reasons why dysentery is one of the leading causes of death in the developing world — and the world for that matter."
Nielsen, whose goals also include earning a graduate degree, said his experiences while a UW-Eau Claire student have prepared him well to achieve all he plans to do.
Those experiences included an internship in Atlanta, Ga., at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health. During the internship, which Nielsen landed after a competitive application process, he worked on a project tracking the publication of the agency's “Healthy Swimming” program and shadowed environmental health professionals in the field — from employees in the Georgia State Health Department to cruise ship inspectors in Florida to USDA inspectors at beef- and chicken-processing plants.
"I feel that my UW-Eau Claire experience prepared me and made me a strong candidate for the internship because of the positions I’ve held here in student leadership roles," said Nielsen, who has been active in UW-Eau Claire's Student Senate as well as the Student National Environmental Health Association. "I also feel like UW-Eau Claire prepared me well by offering opportunities for research and opportunities to study courses outside of my discipline."
More on Jay Nielsen
Future plans: Last summer I had an internship in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the National Center for Environmental Health. After graduation I hope to return to the CDC/NCEH to coordinate next year’s class of summer environmental health interns. After I finish this job I would like to go abroad as a public health worker and help developing countries with sanitation and drinking water issues. After that I would like to return to school to get a master's degree in public health and possibly a dual degree that would involve another discipline.
Unique aspects of his UW-Eau Claire experience: I was able to go on exchange to Humboldt State University in northern California through the National Student Exchange program; participate in the First-Year Experience program and mentor incoming students in a Religions 100 class; and take on student leadership roles in my major as the vice president and then president of the Student National Environmental Health Association, where I helped to coordinate highway cleanups, campus Earth Day events and campuswide recycling events. I also got to work closely with faculty members on two different student-faculty research projects that involved analyzing levels of heavy metals in area children’s hair and antibiotic resistance in environmental soil samples from the area. One very unique experience was when I worked with my advising professor, Dr. Crispin Pierce, to create an environmental public health promotional video for public access television. Between students in Dr. Pierce’s class and members of the community seeing the video, I feel like we educated many people about the importance of environmental health and became public access television celebrities at the same time.
What he liked most about his UW-Eau Claire experience: I liked the opportunities I received that I wouldn’t have received at other schools. I talk about my unique experiences at UW-Eau Claire, but these experiences aren’t that unique here because every student has the opportunity to be involved in numerous activities that make for a unique collegiate experience. I also liked the fact that I could go get help from any of my professors and that those professors showed they really cared about my education by making sure I understood the material.
Highlights of life at UW-Eau Claire: I had many highlights throughout my time here, but I think that a lot of my personal success came from my time in student government. I was involved in student government as a student senator and as a chairperson of the Student Services Committee and a member of the Student Life and Diversity Committee. During my time on Student Senate I was instrumental in passing the "UWEC Environmental Responsibility Account" referendum, which creates funding for campuswide environmental projects. I also helped author and pass legislation that would enforce existing smoking laws on campus as well as legislation that will assess involuntary smoke exposure on campus.
Proudest college accomplishments: My proudest achievement while pursuing a UW-Eau Claire education was winning the C.K. Luchterhand Environmental Health Scholarship award. The award is given by the Wisconsin Environmental Health Association to recognize “outstanding academic achievement, dedication and commitment as a student in the field of Environmental Public Health.” The award is very special to me because I was chosen for it by my ENPH professors.
Advice for incoming students: I would tell incoming students to get involved in student life and take advantage of all of the opportunities UW-Eau Claire has to offer. To be successful:
- Get involved in student organizations, especially student organizations related to your major.
- Work well with your peers and professors.
- Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and meet new people.
- Finally, find what you love to do and pursue it to the utmost of your abilities.
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