Alum Spotlight
Meet Our Alums – Andres Silva – Discovering the Great World of Occupational Therapy
What sparked your interest in the Occupational Therapy Program at UTEP?
First, an Army buddy who is also a UTEP OT alumnus, recommended the program. Second, the years of combined experience of the faculty made it an easy decision.
Did you always want to be an occupational therapist?
No, I wanted to be a stockbroker once I was out of the Army. Then, I was in a car accident in my last months before leaving the service. After the car accident, I needed therapy for my hand, and that’s where I discovered the great world of occupational therapy.
Meet Our Alums – Claudia Yagel – ''Enjoy the Journey''
What sparked your interest in the Occupational Therapy Program at UTEP?
I wanted to move back to El Paso to serve the children in my home town.
Did you always want to be an occupational therapist?
Yes! As a child, a therapist came into my home to help my grandfather after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. I saw what a difference the therapist made in my grandfather’s quality of life.
Meet Our Alums - Sylvia Mejia - ''CLS Provides a Great Foundation of Knowledge''
What sparked your interest in the Clinical Lab Sciences (CLS) Program at UTEP?
I wanted to be in a healthcare field, and I did not want to be involved with direct patient care. In high school, I was in a Certified Nursing Assistant program, and I realized that direct patient care was not for me. As a freshman in college, I was struggling to find a major other than biology or chemistry, since I did not know what the job outlook would be for those fields. In one of my classes, I met a girl that was very excited about the CLS Program, and that is how I learned about it. As soon as she said “laboratory,” I wanted to know more, and I researched the program and worked on meeting the requirements to apply.
Meet Our Alums - Daniel Millar - "Remind Yourself That You Are Already Worthy"
What sparked your interest in UTEP’s Physical Therapy Program?
I was drawn to apply to the UTEP Physical Therapy Program because it has a better student-to-faculty ratio than some of the other programs in Texas. Also, one of my mentors from college graduated from UTEP, and said that she loved how the small cohort size helped her develop strong friendships with her classmates. She felt that this allowed her to have different discussions with people which may not have been possible with larger class sizes.
Meet Our Alums - Ahmed Alarabi - ''Choose Your Mentor Wisely''
What sparked your interest in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program?
As a health professional and physician, I was always interested in finding solutions to physical health problems outside the domain of physical health and in looking at the bigger picture. For example, I worked with patients who had poor physical health because of life stressors. Also, I treated patients who couldn’t afford to get proper treatment. It was clear to me that physical health is influenced by other factors such as mental health, socioeconomic background, etc., and in some cases, these factors have the biggest impact. This understanding intrigued me to investigate the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program.
Meet Our Alums – Alexander Obeng – "Community is the Core of Public Health Work"
What sparked your interest in the Master of Public Health program at UTEP? What do you believe are the unique strengths of this program that set it apart from others nationally?
After I completed my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science in Ghana, I made the decision to pursue a graduate degree and was very particular about the schools I applied to. My decision to apply for a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree stems from my special interest in the physical environment and its relationship to human health, specifically child health. What stood out to me about the UTEP MPH program during the application process is that the faculty members and staff were highly resourceful. In addition, it was relatively easy to find faculty members whose research aligned with mine, or with whatever research interest students may have had.
Meet Our Alums – Osinachi Ibilah – “Social Work Fits into Any Sphere of Life”
What sparked your interest in a social work career?
I have always been interested in working with people and assisting or advocating for those whose voices need to be heard. I received my bachelor’s degree in law from The University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. When we were about to move to the United States, I began exploring what I could do. I found that social work suited my interests in social justice, human rights, and advocacy. It was still somewhat integrated into the law (even though the legal system in Nigeria is different from that of the United States). I can say that social work is in my blood, but I didn’t quite understand it or know that there was a profession for it until I explored a career in social work. Social Work is diverse, and it could fit into any sphere of life, and I like this about the profession.
Meet Our Alums - Dr. Eva Moya - "Do Something Bold"
Dr. Eva M. Moya is the interim chair and associate professor of the UTEP Department of Social Work. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work and her doctoral degree in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences from UTEP.
Were you a first-generation college student and graduate?
Yes. I was a nontraditional student; neither of my parents completed their elementary education. They were both very wise, but the idea of going to school was set by my mother. She would always tell me that my responsibility was to go to school. I started school in Mexico and was working at the age of 11 in downtown El Paso at a clothing store. With the money I earned, I would either buy a blouse or dress or save part of it because I wanted to go to school in the United States. I eventually received my bachelor’s degree in Social Work at UTEP, but it was a difficult journey because of inadequate counsel. I changed my major multiple times, and I was a borderline probation student; however, I became an honors student once I found social work.
Meet Our Alums – Meena Aldouri – CLS Grad and Crime Scene Investigator
What sparked your interest in the Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program at UTEP?
I became interested in the Clinical Lab Science (CLS) Program after meeting with my guidance counselor. We discussed my goals in working in forensics, and she mentioned that the CLS program would be very beneficial for the transition into that field. Afterwards, I asked her to change my major to CLS.
Tell us about the most interesting experience you had as a CLS student.
One of my favorite and most interesting experiences was being a part of a civilian tour at the Fort Bliss Army Base. I was able to learn about what our men and women in the military do daily and out in the field. I went to William Beaumont Army Medical Hospital to see how their clinical lab was set up and observed all the procedures they could perform. I learned so much more about the clinical lab sciences and how it applied in a hospital setting, as well as how it can be a great tool out in the field.
Meet Our Alums - Joy Leos - ''Public Health is All About Service''
What sparked your interest in the Public Health program at UTEP? What do you believe are the unique strengths of this program that set it apart from others nationally?
I started on a different path at UTEP initially. Once I figured out that path was not a naturally good fit for me, I spoke with my academic advisor. She mentioned the Public Health program at UTEP, as it was similar but more community-based than my initial choice. I started the program and very quickly realized I was in the right place. Working with the community resonated with me and made me feel like I finally found where I belonged. I think what I love most about UTEP’s program is the variety within the curriculum. You get a taste of each part of the vast public health system. It makes it digestible and easy to understand. I think what sets the program apart is that you have many faculty members who understand the community and have a vested interest in its health and in building strong, well-rounded public health professionals.
