Lauren Maiolo

Discipline and date of your BA or BS degree: BS of Psychology, May 14 2023
What influenced your decision to pursue a Master of Public Health at UConn?: I have always been drawn to the health sector and I am very passionate about improving the health and well-being of different communities. Specific public health principles that I am enthusiastic about include; closing the inequality gap in healthcare, the spread of accurate health education, and disease prevention. I am pursuing an MPH at UConn to filter through different disciplines of public health, to find my academic and professional niche within the field. For me, an MPH promises the opportunity to study what I am passionate about, a variety of job opportunities, as well as advanced professional positions.
Background: I was born and raised in Ridgefield, CT! I went to Franklin & Marshall College for my freshman and sophomore years, where I studied Public Health and Spanish before transferring to Sacred Heart University. Once I got to SHU, I switched academic paths to study Psychology and Neuroscience. I participated in two different cognition labs (Canine Cognition lab in 2022 and Neurobehavioral lab in 2023) and graduated in May 2023. I spent the first half of 2024 working weekends at a dance studio, teaching toddlers and young kids, while simultaneously holding a full-time job at a clinical research site in Norwalk, CT. Most of the clinical trials I was a part of centered around Early Alzheimer’s disease, with some involving Depression and ADHD. Working with opposite ends of the life spectrum throughout my professional career has profoundly touched me. This has left me with a great appreciation for the aging process, which is another reason I believe I will find my niche within public health.
Life Outside Work and School: Outside of work and school, I love going out with friends and trying new things. I somewhat enjoy working out, I love yoga and dance, and generally enjoy being around other people. When I’m not with friends I’m reading and spending time with my two cats 🙂
Your immediate (next 1-5 years) career goals: My next steps in life heavily depend on how these next two years go and what opportunities arise. I am approaching the next 5 years of my life with an open mind and flexibility. I enjoy learning so I might decide to pursue more education, or if I find my niche, I might look to land a job in that field. Should all else go awry and I find myself back at square one, I might come back to research and take on a different role. I am confident that this master’s program will lead me to my next steps academically and professionally, and am excited at how these next 5 years will play out.