USF College of Public Health alum Charles Ford was recently selected as a 2022-2023 Gilman Scholarship alumni ambassador. He will serve as an official representative of the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

The scholarship enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.

As alumni ambassadors, these representatives provide testimonials about their Gilman Scholarship experiences at campus presentations and offer application tips via written articles, videos, webinars and special events.

Ford, a Tampa native, earned his BS from Florida State University in 2018 and his MPH from the COPH in 2020. In addition to receiving his graduate degree from the COPH, Ford also completed a graduate certificate in infection control.

“I chose to attend the COPH because of the preeminence and history of the public health program for educating and training world-class public health professionals,” Ford said.

During his time in the program, Ford focused his studies on the dual epidemiology and global communicable disease concentrations and is most proud of serving as treasurer for the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Student Association.

In 2019, in his second year at USF, Ford began his first public health career experience at the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Hillsborough County as a human services program consultant in the HIV Surveillance Program. In this role, he worked to conduct and coordinate public health surveys for people living with HIV/AIDS with the CDC Medical Monitoring Project.

“Maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be difficult for graduate students and this is one obstacle I overcame while simultaneous working and studying full-time,” Ford said, “Supportive classmates and peers who are willing to grab food after stressful exams can make all the difference in graduate school. The skills and principles I gained while at the COPH were foundational in my success as a public health professional, and the connections I have made during this time have greatly influenced my career path.”

In May 2020, Ford graduated from the COPH and transferred to the epidemiology department of the FDOH where he began work as a long-term care facility co-lead in the COVID-19 pandemic response efforts.

In this role, he directly applied the skills he learned at the COPH to assist contact tracing, case investigations, outbreak management and so much more.

“The opportunity to work as an epidemiologist on an emerging disease in my home community was both exciting and nerve-racking due to the novelty and severity of the virus,” he said.

In October 2020, Ford moved to Miami and began working as an applied epidemiologist at the FDOH in Miami-Dade County and most recently started his career as an infection preventionist (IP) with HCA Florida Aventura Hospital.

There, he promotes and delivers high quality, patient-centered care by assisting with the administration of infection prevention policies, procedures and programs.

“The most exciting part of my job is the application of the knowledge and skills I learned during the infection control graduate certificate,” he said.

As an infection preventionist, he identifies, investigates, reports and monitors the incidence of nosocomial infections among patients and personnel, and implements policies and procedures to prevent cross-contamination.

In June 2020, Ford was selected as a Gilman alumni ambassador after completing a nine-week medical service internship with the NGO Humanity and Community Development Projects in Ghana. Following his service internship, he completed a follow-up service project where he spoke to first-generational college students about his experiences abroad at organizations in Tallahassee, such as the Southern Scholarship Foundation.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to be selected as a Gilman alumni ambassador and to get the word out about the Gilman Scholarship to as many eligible students as possible,” he said.

As for future plans, Ford wants to continue growing in his career as an IP by obtaining certification in infection control and becoming a certified professional in health care quality.

COPH Alumni Fast Five:

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

As a child and young adult, I dreamt about becoming a famous saxophonist and world-renowned jazz musician.

Where would we find you on the weekend?

On a weekend you would find me lounging by the pool with an adult beverage and a good book.

What is the last book you read?

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by Rebecca Skloot.

What superpower would you like to have?

My all-time desired superpower is elemental control (i.e., control of the elements—earth, water, fire, air).

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

All-time favorite movie is Pixar’s “Ratatouille.”

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health