Besides working on a double major and a decorated collegiate softball career, 2013 Pedrozzi Scholar Bianca Devoto found time to volunteer with her interest in public and global health. She explains how her time at UCSD and volunteering led to her passion for women’s health and reproductive rights:
My four years at UC San Diego were incredibly rewarding. With its proximity to the US-Mexico border, UC San Diego was a perfect site for research and volunteering opportunities in international health. The faculty at UCSD were also amazing and provided me with invaluable mentorship and research experience.
I will be attending Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to pursue a master’s degree in International Health. During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to work on health interventions among underserved women and girls in the US-Mexico border region, Tijuana, Mexico and Ecuador. These experiences founded my passion for women’s sexual and reproductive health. At Johns Hopkins, my research will focus on women’s health and social empowerment in areas where women have been systematically oppressed. Ultimately, my goal is to work for a nonprofit health organization and pursue a career in women’s health and gender-based violence. I hope my work will confront and uplift women’s social position, health and reproductive health rights worldwide. Johns Hopkins will be a significant first step towards accomplishing these career goals, and I am very excited to start my master’s studies!
-August 2017