STORY

"Life is limitless"

Hi, my name is Nassim Ashford. I am a graduate of Mercer University, majoring in Global Health and Global Development with a minor in Anthropology, and I am dedicated to promoting global health equity. My passion for health arose at a young age after seeing how those in my community were affected by negative health outcomes and how social determinants impacted their health. My interest in public health includes vast topics, including mental health, environmental health, infectious diseases, and maternal and child health.

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Driven by my desire to improve access and quality of care for disadvantaged communities, I have worked both domestically and abroad to gain insight into public health issues. In the summer of 2019, I traveled to Roatan, Honduras, to help implement a new patient record monitoring system to help medical professionals better meet the needs of their patients. While there, I had the opportunity to research and understand international healthcare systems from an eye-level view. During that same summer, I also was selected to participate in the Future Public Health Leaders Program (FPHLP) at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, a program implemented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In Michigan, I worked at the Washtenaw County Health Department in the Emergency Preparedness Department. This experience helped to broaden my perspective on health issues and further inclined me to pursue further education in the field. Since graduating from Mercer University, I plan to get a job working on Capitol Hill, working to improve the quality of health policies.

In the spring of 2020, I was selected to be a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Emerging Leader Intern. Through the program, I was placed in the office of Rep. Karen Bass, the Chair of the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. While in the position, I was able to learn more about health policy and the government's role in ensuring access to health. While working on Capitol Hill, I also plan to further my education by pursuing a Master of Public Health degree and later a Ph.D. in Anthropology. Once completing all of my degrees, I aspire to work in developing nations to improve healthcare practices during humanitarian crises and promote overall equity for those in need. I also want to pursue my research interest to alleviate health issues in minority populations, both domestically and abroad. 

When I'm not busy reading and doing research, I enjoy traveling to new places, doing photography, and graphic design. So far, I have been to over 14 different countries around the world, with many more on my list.   

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