University of the Ozarks senior Morgan Douglas’ career path became clearer after she took a Health Policy class as a sophomore.
The Clarksville, Ark., native will graduate this week with Summa Cum Laude honors with a major in health science and minors in athletic coaching and American studies.
Douglas said she plans to pursue a healthcare-related field with an emphasis in public health, an interest that was first sparked during a Health Policy class taught by Assistant Professor of Health Science Dr. Piroska Boros.
“That specific course helped me find my passion for health in communities,” Morgan said. “It helped me shift my focus to public health and all of the factors that go into determining a population’s health.”
Morgan, who was a member of the women’s basketball team at Ozarks, said the public health field resonated with her because of her background in athletics and her desire to help others.
“Public Health is essential to every person; we don’t realize everything that goes into our overall health,” Douglas said. “There are many social determinants in health. I would love to be able to pursue a career that would be able to inform individuals of all of these determinants, as well as come up with solutions and/or policies that could help all individuals live a healthier life.”
Douglas said the decision to attend her hometown University was a difficult one, but was one she’s glad she made.
“While I had lived in Clarksville my whole life, I had only ever visited Mabee Gym. I had never visited any academic buildings or experienced the sense of community on campus,” she said. “I was having to make my decision at the peak of the Covid pandemic. While this was an extremely difficult period of time for everyone, it was hard to face the unknown of where I would end up and if I would even be able to study at these schools in person or virtually. I thought about it and prayed about making this decision countless times. Ultimately, my decision came down to where I felt most at home. This University is not just my home because it is in my hometown. It is home because of the sense of community and family on campus. When I came on my visit, I had never been greeted with such compassion at a new place before. And that has transitioned to my academics while being here. The professors truly care about you and want to see you succeed. That is home to me.”
During her time at Ozarks, Douglas not only played basketball and served as a student ambassador and study group leader for the Jones Learning Center, she has also worked in the Admission department and as an office assistant at Clarksville Insurance Agency. Despite all of these other responsibilities, she is still graduating with the highest of honors.
“I learned the importance of time management very quickly,” she said. ‘I always tried to get my work done as early as possible depending on what kind of week I was going to have. This was especially important when it came to travel weeks with basketball. If we were playing away games, I would always use our downtime to get work done. If I didn’t have homework, I was mentally preparing for the game or relaxing. While doing all of this, I learned that it is also important to take time for myself. Being a working-student athlete is not always easy. So it is extremely important to take time for yourself and focus on your own mental health.”
Looking back over the past four years, Douglas said she is amazed how much she has grown.
“This University has helped me immensely with my confidence when it comes to speaking my voice,” she said. “I recently discussed with Dr. Boros after our Research Methods class that when I came in as a freshman I was extremely shy and didn’t talk very much. I was always very nervous about answering questions in class or even asking questions. In this Research Methods class, we discussed our research proposals and conducted presentations on them. After each presentation, there was a time for questions. Had I been in this class during my freshman year, I wouldn’t have been brave enough to ask any questions. But because of the confidence I have gained while at Ozarks, I was able to ask questions and contribute to determining new research questions. I found my voice through this University.”
Following graduation, Douglas plans to work in the healthcare field for a few years before pursuing a master’s degree.
“My experience at Ozarks has been the best,” she said. “I have learned many life lessons, have been educated on the importance of an array of subjects, contributed to the community, felt loved by this University, and felt the advancement of my path.”
(Photo courtesy of Rachel Nowotny Photography, LLC)
Topics: About, Academics, Health Science