For Katriel Sevigny, a Public Health student from Meridian, Idaho, Boise State University already felt like home. She knew the community, knew some of the people and knew those around her would care about her success — she just needed to find a program with a variety of courses and opportunities.
When Sevigny joined the School of Public and Population Health, she dug right into the variety of courses she was searching for. Epidemiology, healthcare administration, environmental health, health education and promotion, health policy, health communication and health advocacy are just a few of the program areas Sevigny attributes to her growing love of public health.
“I have enjoyed learning every single class from teachers who are passionate about the topic and have experience in the field,” Sevigny said. “The wide range of topics has encouraged me to keep learning and see which topics interest me.”
Sevigny’s first major introduction to public health outside the classroom came in 2021 with the Boise State COVID Testing Center where she was a testing assistant. Sevigny said it impacted her view of public health.
“Often in public health, we focus on the bigger picture — but as a testing assistant, I was helping with the COVID response on a more individual level,” Sevigny said. “It is important to remember how public health impacts individuals within the populations we serve so we can empathize with them.”
Sevigny’s experience in HLTH 382: Research Methods in Health helped solidify her passion for research and how research can impact others.
“People don’t often realize that public health can also include seatbelts in cars and access to clean water,” she said. “I think the many complex yet subtle ways our health is impacted by the world around us is the most interesting aspect of health.”
In an effort to share her passion with younger students, Sevigny also joined one of Professor Jaime Sand’s courses as a teaching assistant. Leading and facilitating discussions, providing meaningful feedback and establishing a strong connection with her classmates were just a few of Sevigny’s strongest attributes as a teaching assistant.
“Her passion for public health was evident right away and she brought that passion to my classroom,” Sand said.
After Sevigny walks across the stage at graduation, she plans to join Oregon State University and pursue a Master in Public Health in Epidemiology — fulfilling her dream of becoming an epidemiologist.
“There is so much more to explore and I can’t wait to find out how I can contribute to the field and best serve my community in the future,” Sevigny said.