ELP Experience: Ojasvi Joshi (Summer 2024)

Tell us about you…

My name is Ojasvi Joshi, and I am a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in Business Administration with a focus on Healthcare. I was drawn to the Experiential Learning Program (ELP) because of its unique approach to advising professionals on effective communication strategies while incorporating diverse perspectives and outlooks. This program also introduced me to an aspect of healthcare I had not previously explored.

Tell us about what you worked on…

For my ELP project, I researched important public health topics, including sleep health among college students, access to nutrition in rural communities, and women’s mental health. I wrote about the lack of awareness surrounding sleep health for college students and proposed ways to redirect conversations toward realistic solutions for busy students. Additionally, I explored the stigma surrounding women’s mental health and recommended strategies for public health professionals to address these issues. During my project, I also designed promotional materials for Instagram and LinkedIn using Canva. These materials included educational graphics as well as funny memes to target diverse audiences.

Tell us what you learned…

Through this experience, I developed valuable skills in public health research and marketing. At first, analyzing scientific journals and research papers was difficult, but the more I read, the better I understood how to interpret and apply research findings. I also learned a lot about current public health issues that directly impact both myself and my community. On the marketing side, it was interesting to target public health professionals and agencies when communicating as generally, marketing in this field is targeted at the general public, who may not have a background in healthcare.

Tell us what the best part was…

The best part of this experience was seeing how communication and education are key parts of bridging gaps in healthcare. As someone with a keen interest in marketing and public health, I’ve always been passionate about making healthcare knowledge more accessible, and this program gave me practical experience in that. I enjoyed the process of creating content that was informative but also engaging, through social media, blog posts, and articles. In addition, collaborating with a diverse team of professionals and students expanded my outlook, showing me the value of approaching healthcare issues from multiple perspectives.

Tell us about your future…

In the future, I hope to pursue a career in maternal and child health, particularly working in underserved communities. Through health communications, policy, and direct community engagement, I hope to contribute to initiatives that improve access to care and education for families who need it. I’m also considering law school, as I believe legal advocacy could be a powerful way to create lasting change in public health.

By: Ojasvi Joshi