In this episode, we speak with Gail Viaje (MPH '24), an international student from the Philippines who shifted from a pre-med track at Fordham to Community Health Science and Practice (CHSP). Gail explains how the I AM GPH podcast served as her initial window into the program, leading her to move to NYC despite never having visited the U.S. before her graduate studies. She describes the benefit of GPH’s teaching excellence, specifically how Dr. David Abrams and Dr. Joyce Moon Howard helped her translate classroom theory into professional practice. Gail highlights the unique "family" feel of her small cohort of 35 students, where peer-to-peer mentorship was common. Now working as a case manager, she applies the writing skills and needs assessment training from her "Grant Writing" and "Program Planning" classes to draft legal documentation and help families navigate complex resources. This conversation illustrates the student success found through the NYU network and Gail’s personal philosophy that true joy is found through a career in service.
