master of public health (MPH) student Janell Addo-Boateng, MPH ’25, describes her practicum experience at Culture Care Collective as a launchpad into the public health field.
“This experience helped solidify my interest in policy and program evaluation for maternal and community health, which is an area of interest I hold dear to my heart,” she explained. “I strengthened my skills in policy writing and stakeholder engagement, which are all important skills for working in public health policy and advocacy.”
For Addo-Boateng, a first-generation student who graduated in May, her practicum provided a strong foundation for a career in the public health field. She participated in research, evaluation, and communication initiatives at —a health equity program aimed at integrating community health workers into university and clinical environments to improve care for underserved populations. During her time with the collective, she wrote a policy brief and a case study, supported the design and analysis of qualitative data on program impact, and co-authored a manuscript summarizing her findings.
Beyond her practicum, Addo-Boateng worked as a graduate research assistant, supporting research led by CPH faculty Rochelle Davidson Mhonde and on fertility desire among women living with HIV. The role allowed her to sharpen her writing, data analysis, and time management skills, while also learning how to communicate research findings to both academic and non-academic audiences.
In addition to supporting faculty-led projects, Addo-Boateng pursued her own research at George Mason, conducting a policy analysis for the March of Dimes on closing Medicaid postpartum care gaps and addressing maternal mortality disparities. She evaluated three policy approaches through the lenses of effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility, with an emphasis on justice-oriented solutions, and presented her findings in testimony and peer presentations on how strategic policy changes could reduce costs, strengthen care coordination, and improve maternal health outcomes.
She further demonstrated her skills at the national level by participating in the where her team earned the silver award for their solution to address rising rates of sexually transmitted infection among young adults.
“I learned how to put research into actionable policy tools that will resonate with diverse stakeholders,” explained Addo-Boateng. “I also learned how important it was to be adaptable, especially when working on interdisciplinary teams and navigating real-world timelines. In my case, I was completing full time studies as a graduate student, working on my research assistant position with my professor Dr. Rochelle Davidson Mhonde, and contributing to my practicum responsibilities.”
Addo-Boateng says she is incredibly grateful for the opportunities she had at the College of Public Health, especially the mentorship and hands-on experiences that helped bring everything together. She believes her time at has truly prepared her to step into the next phase of her career with confidence and clarity.
For fellow students, she offers this advice, “Choose a practicum that aligns with both your values and your long-term goals. Also, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, as it’s often where the most growth happens! Lastly, take initiative because from my personal experience, my practicum was a launchpad into getting experience in the public health field.”