Calling All MPHs

For Ashley Edling, MPH, (’19) the question is easy. Viewing health holistically fosters a unique perspective for nonprofit work, allowing public health professionals to connect dots such as how social determinants of health impact other areas of life. In tandem, the public health degree program teaches students to be creative and flexible, thinking outside of the box to create solutions.

Specifically, for Edling, her degree has enabled her to better approach community members of her nonprofit, Network for Community Ministries, with a big-picture understanding of the situations they face. “Public health is different for everyone because, by definition, public health is very broad.” So, to promote and protect her community members, she observes where they live, where they work and where they play.

“There’s so many different perspectives of public health because it does really encompass our entire community in some way,” she says. “We all have some type of impact on it … but it’s really when they all come together and work together that you see a successful public health system.”

Going into the nonprofit sector was not originally an option she thought correlated with her degree in public health, but her time at Network for Community Ministries as assistant director of development has changed that conception. Now, she wants other public health professionals to join her.

On top of it all, a job in the nonprofit industry is fulfilling, says Edling. “It brings so much joy and satisfaction to see people not just receive our services, but (complete programs) and then want to (come back and serve).” Moments like these, Edling says, is the reason she enjoys this work “because (she’s) really helping people get out of their situation but doing it in a way that empowers them to take the steps that they need.”