What department are you a graduate student in?
I am a graduate student in the Department of Public Health under the College of Social Science and Public Policy.
Why did you decide to go to graduate school?
I wanted a change. Up until I started attending college my interests were within STEM, mostly because I wanted to go to Medical School. When I realized that my passion was not in medical practice, but in global health and sustainability, I was already done with my undergraduate studies. Graduate school provides me with the opportunity to refocus my career interests and enter the field I want to be in.
Did your interests change throughout your program?
My interests changed throughout my undergraduate career. Now that I am in graduate school my interest has not changed but I have gained a better understanding of what I want to do and how I would be able to do that. My emphasis is on the nexus of equity, health, and sustainability.
What do you want to do with your advanced degree?
I hope to leverage my knowledge and degree, along with the experiences that I collect along the way to pursue a Ph.D in Environmental health with an emphasis in equity, and sustainability. Once I am done with school I would like to focus on sustainable development in underserved areas with an emphasis on equity and health.

Juan A. Argüelles Ortiz is a Master’s student in the Department of Public Health at FSU.