Two years ago, Audrey Wilson took a chance on the (at the time) newly created Bachelor of Science in Health Data Analytics (HDA) program. Thanks to the College of Health Science’s inaugural Program Discovery Day event, Wilson met with HDA faculty and instantly felt a connection.
Before officially joining Boise State University, Wilson spent the first semester of her freshman year at another institution. She began studying urban planning and quickly realized she was most interested in building healthier communities. From there, Wilson joined Boise State’s School of Public and Population Health (SPPH).
During her sophomore year, Wilson found herself looking for something that felt more like her — a degree path where she could put her analytical skills to use, while working on community health issues.
“Being from Boise, I knew I wanted to make a difference in my community and help others,” Wilson said. “I have always wanted to help people.”
This passion for community engagement led Wilson to an interest in the process of upstream health prevention and using data to prevent health issues before they become severe.
At the 2024 Program Discovery Day event, Wilson met with HDA Program Director Kirk Ketelsen, where she learned about all the new opportunities to make data and upstream prevention an even bigger part of her academic path.
“I could tell there was a real passion about this new program and that really drew me in,” Wilson said.
It didn’t take long for Wilson to officially become the first student to join the new degree.
With a passion for public health and a strong interest in working with data, Ketelsen knew Wilson would be successful in the program.
“From the beginning, Audrey was determined to be more than just a student in the program,” Ketelsen said. “She really sets the bar for what an engaged and active participant in the HDA program looks like.”
While others may be hesitant to join a newly developed degree, Wilson joined with the excitement of being the first student to help shape classes, programming, projects and more.
“This program has given me the opportunity to experiment and try new things,” Wilson said. “It has been really exciting to see how many other students are now benefiting from this.”
Thanks to connecting with faculty and other students early on, Wilson is prepared to work in a wide range of public health careers. Whether she is conducting research in a hospital system or policy work in a public health department, Wilson hopes to stay in Idaho — working to build healthy communities in the state she loves.
Wilson will graduate with her undergraduate degree this spring and complete her Master of Public Health with an emphasis in data-driven decision-making the following year.
“I am so happy that I get to push myself in these programs and really focus on my passions and interests,” Wilson said.
Interested in health data? Learn more here about the Health Data Analytics degree. Looking for a health degree that fits your passions? Visit our upcoming Health Sciences Program Discovery Day event.