Megan Boyce is currently a fourth year student at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy majoring in Public Health as well as pursuing a minor in Sociology. In addition to her undergraduate academic work, she is currently enrolled in the 5 year BS/MPH program with the Bloustein School and UMDNJ School of Public Health, with a concentration in Health Systems and Policy. Megan has just begun her senior internship at the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, working towards completing her Nursing Home Administration certificate. On the weekends she also volunteers her time at a local nursing home and rehabilitation center. In the future, Megan hopes to continue working with the geriatric population. She is especially interested in a career which works towards improving end of life care.

Douglas Erling is a fourth year undergraduate student at Cook College and the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy majoring in Public Health. Douglas has completed the Public Health Preparedness certificate program and is currently pursuing the completion of the Nursing Home Administration certificate program this year. Douglas assisted in the founding of the Public Health Initiative, a public health service and outreach oriented group last year, and also served on the executive board. He is also a member of Alpha Zeta, the Cook College co-ed honors fraternity and a member of the installation class of the Epsilon Beta Chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Health Education Honorary at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. In addition to his academic work, Douglas has been working as an Emergency Medical Technician for four years and a firefighter for three years, which has helped him greatly in completing the Public Health Prepar edness certificate. He is also an Emergency Medical Technician and assists in Public Health Preparedness for the Morris County Medical Reserve Corps. Douglas also works as a research assistant for the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Center for Health Statistics in the Office of Injury Surveillance and Prevention on the state head and spinal trauma registry and Violent Deaths Reporting System. Douglas plans to pursue an MPH degree in Epidemiology and become a commissioned officer of the United States Public Health Service.

Natasha Ramsey is third year School of Arts and Sciences student majoring in public health and minoring in biology. Natasha, in her 2 years of attending Rutgers, has been a dedicated student and an active member of the community. Born and raised in New Brunswick, she has taken advantage of the connections she made through out her high school years. As a teen, Natasha worked as an editor for the nonprofit organization Answer which is dedicated to providing teens with honest and accurate information about their bodies and continued this work as a correspondent upon entering college. She has been an advocate for the organization, attending many of their fundraising events and meetings. Through the Civic Engagement and Service Education Partnership Program she had the opportunity to working on an article for the Answer website meant to empower young minority women and inform them about sexually transmitted infections. In high school, Natasha also participated in a program called Bridge to Employment in which she mentored elementary school students and was mentored by Johnson & Johnson employees. Through this program she received a job at the Johnson & Johnson World Head Quarters where she continues to work today. In addition, she serves as a Bridge to Employment alumni, providing feedback for the new Bridge to Employment programs to be launched and has been recorded and interviewed for numerous fundraising and advertising media. As the former President of the Paul Robeson Special Interest Section located in Mettler Hall, her love for culture and giving back to the community influenced many of the programs the floor had such as participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Walk, donating lunches to Elijah’s Promise, and doing arts and crafts with the children at Lincoln Elementary School. Last summer, Natasha participated in Project L/EARN in which she conducted health research on patient and physician communication with her mentor. Despite her many extracurricular activities, Natasha remained an active member of Office of Diversity and Success in the Sciences and a dedicated student, being on the Dean’s List all four semesters. Natasha is also a member of the Equal Opportunity Fund, a Carr Scholar, and is a Simon Youth Foundation reward recipient. In the future, Natasha plans to attend medical school to obtain her MD/MPH and hopes to continue giving back to her community by alleviating health disparities and continuing health research.

Kyle D. Zagorski is currently resuming his quest for a bachelor?s degree in Planning and Public Policy at the Bloustein School following a seven month internship in Washington D.C with the Department of Health and Human Services. In his last semester as a junior, he will be conducting an independent study with mentor Professor William M. Rodgers III whom is the Undergraduate Program Director at the Bloustein School. Prior, Kyle served as a research assistant for Dr. Rodgers after completing the introductory course Planning, Policy, and Public Health. He hopes to work as an influential member of a community in order to shape the policies that will improve the quality of life. To that end, he has already participated in the New York City Urban Project during his spring break of 2007.