Ashanti Bell

Class of 2024, Student Ambassador

My name is Ashanti Bell and I am a senior pursuing Health Administration with a double minor in Public Health and Nutrition Health and Wellness. In this career path, I have learned how Public Health initiatives influence Clinical Health conditions. While Clinical Health provides the opportunity to treat a patient's existing health condition, Public Health aims to improve life-long health behaviors and determinants of health.

Public Health influences everyone. As an ambassador, I want to communicate the importance of Public Health to the student body and prospective students. My goal is to show students the endless possibilities in this field of health. As a first-generation college student, I initially had a limited outlook on opportunities in health and chose to pursue nursing. After researching and speaking with the Public Health Ambassador, Aniya, I knew I wanted to pursue Public Health. In Public Health, I have found my purpose and passion. I have selected a field that allows me to be creative, innovative, and intentional. Public health aligns directly with my objective: To improve the quality of health in disadvantaged communities through education, awareness, and advocacy.

I am inspired by the dean, staff, and students at our school of Public Health. The work that they do reflects their dedication to improving lives. I am excited to be an addition to this diverse atmosphere.

Aniya Bonds

Class of 2025, Student Ambassador

My name is Aniya Bonds, and I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Health with a minor in Social Justice. I switched from being a social work major to studying Public Health because I believe that this degree program provides fundamental knowledge and skills to understand the social, environmental, and behavioral factors that influence public health outcomes.

Through the guidance of faculty and staff within the School of Public Health, my passion for promoting health and improving the quality of life for others has strengthened. I have been inspired by several courses to start my career with community programming and resources, eventually working my way up to policymaking and legislation. As someone who is deeply committed to addressing health disparities and inequalities faced by marginalized communities, I believe it's important to reform policies that address social determinants of health, such as poverty, education, and lack of resources. By doing so, we can help reduce health disparities and improve overall health outcomes.

I chose to study Public Health because it offers a fulfilling career path that allows me to work towards social justice and address systemic issues that impact health outcomes. I encourage others who are interested in addressing these issues to seek further information about Public Health, as education is the first step to prevention. Overall, I am excited to be pursuing a career in Public Health and look forward to making a positive impact globally.

Aeryn Longuevan

Class of 2025, Graduate Student Ambassador

My name is Aeryn Longuevan and I am currently pursuing a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Biostatistics. I have a bachelor's degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and I am excited to be in a field of study where I can use systems thinking and data analysis in a way that directly improves the health and well-being of my community.

In addition to being a student, I am the Vice President of the Public Health Student Association, and a Research Assistant supervised by Dean Joshi.

Saloni Patel

Class of 2025, Graduate Student Ambassador

Graduate Research Assistant: Public Health Innovation and Communication MPH Epidemiology
Saloni Patel is a graduate student at the University of Memphis pursuing a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology. She graduated from dental school in 2020 and has 2 years' experience in clinical dentistry from her home country, India. At the School of Public Health, Saloni is a Graduate Assistant where she actively engages in communication, social media and research initiatives. As a student at the University of Memphis, Saloni is a student leader and participates in organizations like the Indian Students Association, Public Health Students Association and the Visitor and International Student Alliance on campus.

She also holds leadership position as the Advancement Committee Chair in Student Assembly of American Public Health which is the nation's largest student led organization. After school she volunteers at organizations like Mid South Mission of Mercy and Memphis Animal Services. Apart from Healthcare, Saloni also has extensive work experience in Branding and Social Media Marketing. Saloni's team won the ImagineU summer entrepreneurship accelerator at the Crews Center for Entrepreneurship in Summer of 2023, after which she developed a newfound interest in inculcating entrepreneurial mindset to advance healthcare. After graduating in Spring 2025, Saloni aims to aims to work in cancer control and prevention.