It was a summer reading project that first spurred Guinevere Ellison-Giles’ interest in public health.

“To encourage me to read, my mom would pay me to read books over the summer when I was a kid. One of the books that I had chosen to read because it had piqued my interest was  ‘The Hot Zone,’ by Richard Preston. This book started my journey and interest in public health,” said Ellison-Giles, who graduated from the USF College of Public Health (COPH) in 2021 with a BSPH. “After that, I continued to search for similar books on the subject until I had chosen to pursue public health as a career.”

Born in Reno, Nev., but raised mostly in Southern California, Ellison-Giles said she settled on the COPH for her undergraduate degree not just because of its high ratings. “The COPH embodies the principles of public health by being student-health centered while at the same time focusing on the health of the communities and the environment around them. Those are things I truly admired,” she said.

One Health

The way Ellison-Giles sees it, public health and the environment are intricately intertwined. And bolstering one helps to bolster the other.

“Everything in this world is interconnected,” she commented. “The environment, wildlife, humans—everything. As the one-health approach shows, we must be able to focus on all of these or the health of one or all of them could deteriorate. It’s this interconnectedness and this ability to affect and interact with so many different subjects that has continued to spur my interest in public health. I think it’s become clearer now more than ever, as we continue to battle through this ongoing pandemic, that public health always has and always will be a critical component of society and its health.”

Despite COVID, Opportunities

Due to the pandemic, Ellison-Giles said her time on campus was severely limited as most of her classes were online. 

But that didn’t stop her from taking advantage of opportunities when they arose. 

“I was able to join multiple student organizations in different disciplines and get involved with multiple projects and programs,” said Ellison-Giles, who was part of the Global Citizens Project and the Peace Corps Prep Program. “I was also able to make incredible connections, both with faculty and other students, and I made lifelong lasting friends from all over the world.”

APHL-CDC Fellowship

It was through one of those faculty connections that Ellison-Giles first heard about—and was encouraged to apply for—an extremely competitive Association of Public Health Laboratories—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (APHL-CDC) fellowship in environmental health. 

Most fellows have advanced degrees, but Ellison-Giles was encouraged to throw her hat into the ring anyway.

“Laura Rusnak told me about the fellowship and encouraged me to apply,” Ellison-Giles recounted. “She was my biggest advocate and supporter during my time at the COPH. Her commitment to showing her passion for public health and wanting to pass it on to each of her students is what makes her such an inspiration to me, as well as to other people.”

As an APHL-CDC environmental health fellow—and one of the first with just a bachelor’s degree—Ellison-Giles is working to establish a water-based epidemiology program to detect SARS-CoV-2 within the Northeast region of Texas.

“I recruit facilities and collect samples from sites. I also help conduct molecular analyses of samples, input and organize data gathered from testing for epidemiological analyses and coordinate each of these departments to run efficiently. It’s been an incredible learning experience for me, and not just in terms of public health. This fellowship has exposed me to many different professions that I may not have had the chance to work with otherwise, and it has connected me with a diverse array of people who have challenged me in my field.”

In addition to her fellowship duties, Ellison-Giles is pursuing an MPH at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and has hopes of eventually earning a doctorate degree. She said she’s interested in pursuing a career with the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service or working for any number of international or national-based organizations with public health as its focus.

“USF has always had a global focus, and it has inspired me to continue my work on a global platform,” Ellison-Giles noted. “Everything I learned during my time at the COPH has been incredibly relevant to my career—from my specialization in infection control to my current professional work with SARS-CoV-2 to the health policy and communication side, which I have utilized for outreach programs throughout the region I am in. What I learned at USF consistently comes up in my day-to-day work. The COPH works hard to give students the best opportunities they can in public health, all while they’re still preparing students for their careers.”

Alumni Fast Five:

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

I’ve wanted to be in public health (specifically epidemiology) since I was 9, but before that, I was interested in anthropology and studying my own culture and that of others. That interest is something I feel has helped me a lot in public health.

Where can we find you on weekends?

Currently, I’m living in Texas. If I wasn’t in a state that was so hot right now, I would probably be outside hiking.

What is the last book you read?

“An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States,” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.

What superpower would you like to have?

While probably slightly odd, I would like to be able to pause and unpause time and still be able to act within the time continuum. It’s the superpower that would let me hit snooze in the morning and still let me make it to work and school on time.

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

“Ironman.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health