‘Behind the Blue’: Public Health students gain confidence through research, community

Sophia Goodin and Sophie Ciaverelli, soon-to-be graduates, found more than just an education at the University of Kentucky. Driven by a shared passion for public health, their time in the College of Public Health became a transformative journey, marked by a supportive yet challenging environment that nurtured significant personal and academic growth and defined their future aspirations.

“As a freshman, I was sitting in the back of the classroom, not really speaking,” Goodin said. “Now, I’m sharing all about my experiences on the ‘Behind the Blue’ podcast. So, the growth that I’ve had, in my four years here, is what I’m most proud of.”

Ciaverelli added, “I’m proud of the drive I’ve developed.” 

Listen to Goodin and Ciaverelli share their experience in the latest episode of “Behind the Blue.” Click the play button above to hear their full story.

Both students found a close-knit, encouraging environment within the College of Public Health.

“Everyone’s so passionate about what they do, and you can feel that when you walk into the College of Public Health,” Goodin said.

That support helped both students thrive — Goodin became the social media chair for the Student Public Health Association, while Ciaverelli served as a Public Health student ambassador, sharing her passion for public health with prospective students.

One unique aspect of their academic journey was an epidemiology course, co-taught by college leadership. Ciaverelli described it as “really, really cool,” noting the mix of expertise among instructors: Dean Heather Bush, a biostatistician; Sarah Cprek, Ph.D., assistant dean for undergraduate affairs in the college, with a focus on qualitative analysis; and Rachel Hogg-Graham, Dr.P.H., who brought a policy perspective.

“It was a really cool cumulative experience,” Ciaverelli said. “Because we had these three expert professors, we were able to do a lot, which was really awesome.”

Undergraduate research also was central to their development. Both joined Anne Ray, Ph.D., and her research team through a public health independent study course, where they learned research methodologies and applied them to projects.

“Coming into the university, I knew I wanted to do research, some way, somehow,” Goodin said. “Research can be very overwhelming, but the College of Public Health has a lot of good resources and a lot of opportunities. …I’ve learned a lot over my experience.”

Ciaverelli added, “In addition to helping Professor Ray with her projects that she’s doing, we’ve had the opportunity to kind of learn these foundational ideas on how research is conducted, what methodologies exist for qualitative research and so on. It’s been an interesting opportunity and a unique opportunity to get this one on one, really tailored course on how to be a researcher, how to conduct it, why it’s important.”

Their projects reflected individual interests. Ciaverelli developed a repository of marijuana-related questions from national surveys, categorizing them by time, context and content — an exercise in understanding qualitative research design. Goodin took on a similar project, focused on alcohol, dividing data by time and behavioral domains.

Outside the classroom, both students found ways to build community.

Goodin was deeply involved in DanceBlue, UK’s student-run dance marathon supporting the DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic. Ciaverelli, seeking connection as an out-of-state student, joined the International Village Living Learning Program and rekindled her passion for Germany through the German Club, which eventually led to an international internship.

The College of Public Health also nurtured a sense of belonging through signature events. Public Health Halloween was a favorite, featuring a chili cook-off and faculty members dressed in costume. National Public Health Week brought students together with a campus march celebrating their shared mission while “Pump It Up” welcomed new students into the college at the start of the school year.

“It really makes you feel seen,” Goodin added.

Looking forward, both students are set to take their public health passions even further. Goodin plans to pursue a master’s degree in global health at the University of Washington, focusing on food insecurity and water sanitation. Ciaverelli aims to earn her master’s in Germany and eventually a doctorate in cancer research, particularly prevention.

Goodin and Ciaverelli’s journeys through the University of Kentucky and the College of Public Health highlight the transformative power of finding purpose, community and the courage to pursue one’s passion.

About Behind the Blue
Behind the Blue is available via a variety of podcast providers, including iTunes and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of Behind the Blue each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

“Behind the Blue” is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page. 

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