During a study-abroad in Dublin, Ireland, Habibatou Soumano ’25 joined a team of researchers at University College. Soumano worked on a long-distance project, addressing gender imbalances in healthcare systems in Tanzania. Converting words into numerical values, she cleaned the data needed for deeper analysis. “I also got to develop my technical skills using SPSS, which was a really valuable experience,” she says.
Soumano, who hails from Eugene, Oregon, and Mali, chose to major in global health (she also minors in anthropology/sociology) because she wants to address health disparities and improve outcomes in underserved communities. “In Mali, I saw firsthand how health inequalities affect daily life, and I wanted to make a difference in this field,” she says.
Cultural awareness and strong communication skills are crucial when working with diverse populations. “One thing I love about the major is the interdisciplinary structure. It’s not just about health — it pushes you to explore different areas, like learning another language.”