Boise native Jaeger Mattis found a degree path with the School of Public and Population Health when we learned just how important public health work is and saw just how passionate his professors were about their work.
Mattis will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies this spring. Read on to learn more about Mattis, his love for public health and health science and his future plans.
A: What have you enjoyed most about your studies?
A: I’ve enjoyed my fairly unique educational path of taking many upper level science classes along with multiple upper level classes dedicated to the SPPH. This has afforded me the knowledge of understanding the sciences at a deeper level, while also seeing how this knowledge is used to improve the living experiences for everyone in our communities.Â
Q: What extracurricular activities have you been involved in that made an impact on your undergraduate experience?
A: I was a Learning Assistant for the Intro to Microbiology course for four semesters. This is essentially a dedicated tutor for a specific course where you attend class and host study sessions throughout the week to help students currently in the class. This was incredibly beneficial to my overall learning as it cemented a lot of knowledge that will be important for my future career, and it also taught me a lot of new skills in regards to teaching complex topics.
Q: How has your time in your program broadened your outlook on health?
A: By taking a variety of classes on different topics throughout the School of Public and Population Health, I gained a much greater respect for every aspect of our healthcare system. No single individual could do all of the jobs throughout this system and we rely on the knowledge of each profession to provide comprehensive health care and implement strong harm reduction strategies in the public sector.
Q: What are you most looking forward to post-graduation?
A: I’m very excited to start my masters program in the fall! I was accepted to ISU Meridian’s Medical Laboratory Science program, in part thanks to help from professors in the School of Public and Population Health who helped me find programs I would be interested in and by writing excellent letters of recommendation.