January 2, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
“During my undergraduate years at USC, I connected with faculty, research labs and community organizations that shaped my understanding of public health,” says Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) student Anahyra Fernandez Reyes. “Returning for my MPH felt like the natural extension of the relationships, support and opportunities I had already found here.”
A resident of Greenville, South Carolina, studying biological sciences at USC opened numerous opportunities for the Galen Health Fellow and Scholar, who was born and raised in Honduras. As an undergrad, she gained experience as a patient care technician at MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center and as a Changing Carolina Peer Leader advancing the Healthy Campus Initiative. Fernandez Reyes learned all about research by becoming a member of the Healthy Futures Lab, which is led by health psychologist and Arnold School collaborator Sayward Harrison.
As a graduate research assistant, she has been learning how to conduct community-engaged research to improve the health and well-being of various populations. Fernandez Reyes has also continued working closely with Healthy Carolina initiatives and interned with the Center for Community Health Alignment.
Across her time at Carolina, Fernandez Reyes has found mentors in faculty like David Simmons, Deborah Billings, and Emily Mann. These influences, along with her program’s coursework and focus on enhancing practical skills, have led her to develop interests in maternal and child health, reproductive justice, and health disparities affecting Black and Latina mothers.
“Over time, I have seen how cultural expectations, access barriers and systemic inequities directly influence reproductive autonomy and outcomes,” says Fernandez Reyes, who plans to follow her May graduation with medical school and a career in obstetrics and gynecology or maternal-fetal medicine. “My goal is to integrate public health frameworks into clinical practice and contribute to culturally informed, community-centered maternal health initiatives, especially within immigrant and rural populations.”
Calling her USC experience both “grounding” and “transformative,” Fernandez Reyes believes that the opportunities she has had to work directly with diverse communities, state-level partners, and local health organizations have helped prepared her for this work. She encourages other students to consider studying public health and all it has to offer.
“Get involved early with research labs and community organizations, because hands-on experience will help you discover what truly excites you,” Fernandez Reyes says. “Take advantage of faculty mentorship as they are incredibly generous with their time and guidance. Most importantly, remember that public health is people-centered: stay connected to the communities you want to serve, and let their needs guide your work.”
