Interview with APU Alumna, Prasida Khanal

The following profile is the fifth in a series of student profiles of our students and alumni at the university.

Job title: Health Services Manager at Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties, St. Paul, Minnesota

Degree earned: Master of Public Health, 2015, American Public University

What led you to choose a Master’s in Public Health?

My home country of Nepal has been crushed with a decade-long Maoist insurgency, political instability, poverty and a humanitarian crisis. These were difficult times for many Nepali families like us, who lost a loved one, or were persecuted or exiled. Amidst the chaos, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to study dentistry in one of the most reputed universities in Nepal, the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences. I worked as a community dentist in rural and underserved areas. While I realized that I could improve the oral health status of my people, there was always the chance that they would go back to a house without water or sanitation. During my work in Nepal, there were diarrhea epidemics and women who died during childbirth. These issues encouraged me to take steps forward to improve the health of the public. I feel blessed to have joined APU to help make my dreams a reality.