India Byrd, a senior at Barnett College of Public Health, shared on Apr. 15 her journey toward a career in healthcare advocacy and her next steps after graduation from Temple University. Byrd, who grew up in North Philadelphia, will continue her education at the Fox School of Business to pursue a Master of Health Administration.
Byrd said she was drawn to Temple University because of its diversity and sense of community. “I remember seeing people outside, spending time together, and feeling like they were part of something and I wanted to be part of that, too,” Byrd said.
Her involvement with the Cecil B. Moore Scholars Program played an important role in shaping her college experience. “When I received an email saying I was one of 25 students selected for a full-tuition scholarship through the program. I had to read it twice; I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited. Honestly, I don’t think I would be here today if it weren’t for that scholarship,” she said.
Byrd credited a course on cultural competency in health and healthcare as transformative for clarifying her professional goals. “In that class, we researched the barriers many people face when accessing healthcare and completed a research project on those challenges. And that’s when it clicked for me that I want to be part of making meaningful changes that improve people’s lives,” she said.
Looking ahead, Byrd plans to build on these experiences as she begins graduate studies focused on health administration at Temple University’s Fox School of Business.
