January 2020
Melanie Askari
BA International Studies (Global Environment and Health) ‘14
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
University of Michigan Affiliations: MedLife, APO
“I am very grateful for my UM International Studies major since I think this led me on the career path that I have today. After graduating from UM, I decided to go on to get an MPH degree at Columbia University in New York City (NYC). During my MPH, I had the opportunity to live and work in Brazil as part of the Global Health program. Then I worked for a few years at the NYC Department of Health and went back to Columbia University where I am currently pursuing my PhD in Epidemiology. Without a doubt, I would not have realized how passionate I am about tackling systematic challenges that contribute to health disparities without my International Studies major at UM. I am thankful to my UM International Studies major for giving me opportunities to think critically about how social, economic, and political forces shape our lives no matter where in the world we live.”
