First cohort of master of public health students to graduate in May

Dr. Marilyn Gardner, director of the MPH program, oversaw the program's development. It was funded by the $9.4 million Workforce Innovation Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. in December 2021.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare, there is a huge need for a well-trained public health workforce in our state,” Gardner says. “The MPH and certificate programs can significantly help fill the shortage of trained public health professionals in rural Wisconsin and beyond.”

Gardner says the program was designed for working professionals, with fully online and asynchronous delivery.

“The MPH can be completed in two calendar years, even if they are working professionals because we offer courses year-round,” Gardner says. “We’ve created a program with extensive geographical reach — a highly marketable degree can have major impact on the workforce.” 

Dr. Carmen Manning, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, was co-primary investigator for the WEDC Workforce Innovation Grant. She says it is highly rewarding to see this graduating cohort from a program developed to meet very specific community needs related to post-pandemic community health.

“Rural populations present unique challenges in public health,” Manning says. “This program, and its flexible online delivery, will equip more professionals to tackle these often-complicated issues on behalf of their rural friends and neighbors. Whether students complete the full master’s degree or one of the two new certificates, we are proud to be providing them the tools and experiences to shape healthier communities in our state and beyond.”

For Dr. James Boulter, professor and chair of the public health and environmental studies department, this first graduation cohort is the perfect way to cap off 50 years of public health education at UW-Eau Claire. These master’s graduates, he says, bring a “new level of professional preparation and leadership” to the program, advances that will broaden the ways UW-Eau Claire public health alumni will meet community needs.

“I’m particularly pleased that three of these eight MPH grads were alumni of UW-Eau Claire, with undergraduate degrees in either public health or environmental public health. Half of them completed this online graduate degree out of state, as far away as Massachusetts and Arkansas. We are excited to celebrate these accomplishments.”

Feedback from three soon-to-be MPH graduates

We asked a few May graduates for reflections on their graduate program experience. Below are summaries, in their own words.

Sam Roherty, first accelerated track MPH graduate

I began thinking about the accelerated program during the end of my junior year here at UW-Eau Claire as an environmental public health major. I was presented with the opportunity to take dual-credit classes that would meet remaining requirements for my undergraduate degree and get me started on the MPH degree. I can highly recommend pursuing an accelerated degree in the MPH program at UWEC. It offered a variety of courses that grew my knowledge in public health, as well as desired skills like public health planning, administration and epidemiology/biostatistics.

I hope to soon join the public health workforce, after completing a service term through AmeriCorps at the Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. I will be working to expand care and capacity building among free and charitable clinics in the state. I am open to a variety of career paths, all possible because the MPH allowed me to gain expertise in a variety of categories within the field of public health.

UW-Eau Claire’s online program offered me flexibility to work when it was convenient for me. I could remain collaborative with classmates and group projects, building professional development and growth with peers and faculty support.

Kelly McWilliams, regulatory analyst for CentraCare Health of St. Cloud, Minnesota

I chose the MPH program at UW-Eau Claire because of its flexibility to enroll part time and the ability to attend remotely. It allowed me to keep my job and grow my family while completing this graduate degree.

I was grateful for the opportunity to work remotely as a graduate assistant for Dr. Gardner. That role really helped me feel like I was connected to the campus and the department, something that is challenging in remote learning.

A second major boost to my program was a Mayo Health System internship which focused on reducing emergency department visits for Medicare/Medicaid patients. I was able to use data analysis and program-building skills that I learned during my MPH program to find solutions. This internship has allowed me to gain experience to secure a job as a financial and regulatory analyst at CentraCare hospital once I graduate.

Sydney McGuine ’24, environmental public health graduate

I heard about the program during my undergraduate time at UW-Eau Claire. I was set on going to law school, so much so that I had already taken the LSAT. Then I heard about a graduate assistantship opportunity in the Administrative Office of Sustainability. It was the perfect way to continue my passion for sustainability while also getting a degree. Little did I know just how much I would enjoy the MPH program. I have learned so much and found ways to combine my passion for sustainability with public health.

I have been selected to be a fellow for the 2026-28 cohort of the Wisconsin Population Health Service Fellowship. In this position, I will continue to develop and learn public health skills while gaining experience working for Clean Wisconsin. I am very excited about this opportunity and the ability to grow in the environmental and public health field.

This online program has allowed me to learn the essential skills needed to become a public health professional while working. The flexibility also has allowed me to work with Eau Claire community members on local environmental initiatives like updating the city tree ordinance. In a traditional in-person program, I would likely not have been able to do these things.