Before her arrival at Quinnipiac, Cara O‘Meally ’19 knew she wanted a major that would combine the worlds of health science and business, and biomedical marketing seemed like the perfect fit. Her initial interest in global public health, however, had more to do with wanderlust.
“I added the global public health minor because I knew I really wanted to travel and experience different cultures,” O‘Meally said.
A student-athlete, O‘Meally was unable to study abroad for a semester like she had wanted. However, the global public health minor opened the door to a summer internship in northern India with Child Family Health International.
”This was my one chance,” O’Meally said. “It wasn’t a hard decision at all.”
O’Meally spent 4 weeks observing government and non-government organizations around New Delhi as they attempted to help various populations in the community. Each day took her to a different location, from private and public hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, to HIV clinics, transgender centers and daycare facilities for street children.
“These places were able to do so much for their people with such limited access to the resources they needed,” O’Meally said. “It broadened my understanding of what life’s necessities really are.”