Although Sydney Nickel grew up in Penryn, California, she always felt a draw to come back to the city where she was born — Boise. A Bronco fan since birth, Nickel said attending Boise State seemed like the “obvious choice.”
When choosing her undergraduate degree, Nickel felt a pull toward health. With a passion for positively affecting communities, Nickel chose to pursue a degree in Public Health where she could focus on prevention and research. Furthering her studies, Nickel joined the School of Public and Population Health’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program with an emphasis in Data-Driven Decision-Making.
Studying epidemiology and chronic disease prevention has been the most interesting aspect of the program, Nickel said.
“Epidemiology is the reason why I wanted to pursue a higher degree and I believe the program has set me up quite well,” Nickel said.
Nickel’s drive and spark have always stood out in class, says SPPH Associate Professor Ellen Schafer.
“What stands out about Sydney are her eagerness and willingness to try new things,” Schafer said. “These are important attributes for an MPH student and alum, especially those that would like a community-engaged or community-facing career.”
Between classes, Nickel hasn’t shied away from extracurricular activities. In her second year with SPPH, Nickel worked as an undergraduate assistant with Communities for Youth — an organization that uses upstream prevention methods to address youth mental health challenges in Idaho.
Nickel is also on the board of the Idaho Public Health Association and a teaching assistant with the Data Analytics for Statewide Health Lab.
“Through multiple projects, I learned more about data analysis and reporting through hands-on experiences, which has bolstered my confidence in this concentration,” Nickel said.
As she prepares to walk across the stage at graduation, Nickel looks forward to working in a public health role where she can help minimize health disparities and enhance public health literacy and communication locally.
More than anything, Nickel said said the MPH program has taught her to be more empathetic and introspective — especially as it relates to vulnerable populations and public health needs across the world.
“In this day and age, we are susceptible to only worrying about the issues in our own backyards, which is extremely important,” Nickel said. “But learning more about other cultures and their public health issues has broadened my horizons in ways I wouldn’t have learned about otherwise.”