Jessica Willard
Derek Wilson
Nolan Winters
Farah Laliwala
About Farah
- Graduate Program: Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Concentration/Area of Emphasis: Community Health Practice
- Current Employer: McLeod Centers for Wellbeing
- Position: Community Outreach Specialist
- Graduation Year: 2023
- Undergraduate Institution: Baqai Medical College
- Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor’s of Medicine and Surgery
- Favorite Place in Charlotte: Ballantyne Bowl
- Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Q&A with Farah
Why did you choose to attend UNC Charlotte for graduate school?
I had been in Charlotte for 8 years when I started thinking about graduate school. I looked at the MPH program at UNC Charlotte and thought the course work and the alumni network in Charlotte is exactly what I need to resume my career, while staying local to Charlotte.
What skills or knowledge gained in your graduate program have been most valuable in your career?
I have a background in medicine from Pakistan, and I wanted to compliment that with a better understanding of the public health environment in the US and key challenges, and establish a network that can help me re-enter the job market. That is exactly what the program provided me.
What did you enjoy most about UNC Charlotte’s campus and location?
UNC Charlotte has a beautiful campus that provides a lot of opportunities to hang out with friends and relieve stress. It is also ideally located with plenty of restaurants around, and light rail is walking distance which provides quick access to uptown.
What advice would you give to prospective and current UNC Charlotte graduate students?
I would advise all prospective students to start networking early and leverage the UNC Charlotte alumni network as much as possible. Given the current changing landscape in the US, I would also ask perspective students to come to the school with an open mind and be ready to pivot as the job market changes.