Center Student and Faculty Spotlights

Posted on by Cassie Mohwak

Spring 2024

Our graduating Center students-Estefanía and Cassie–in addition to Center faculty members-Dr. Zobeida Bonilla and Sara Benning–were asked a few questions about their backgrounds, work, advice, and other fun facts.

Estefanía Henríquez Luthje

Tell Us About Yourself!

I was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which was my permanent place of residence until I moved to Minneapolis in August 2023 to pursue the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program. My loved ones describe me as funny, kind, thoughtful, and overly empathetic. Since a young age, I have been an academically active person. Without hesitation, I took leadership roles in clubs that caught my interest, ranging from the environmental club to the debate club. I managed my time effectively to enroll in extracurriculars that could advance me toward my goals. Before joining the MCH program, I obtained my MD degree back home, where I discovered my passion for maternal and child public health. After over a decade of training where academics have played a primary role in my life, I am now determined to embark on my MCH practice while also devoting more attention to my personal life and non-professional interests.

Center Position

What’s your role at the Center? 

I am the editor for MCH Leads, the competency-based, student-led National MCH Trainee blog. I am also an executive board member of the Student Interest Group (MCHSIG), where I serve as the Communications and Marketing Lead.

What is the most fulfilling part of your role?

Firstly, these positions, particularly the MCH Leads blog co-editor role, align with my passion for helping students effectively showcase their accomplishments to advance their professional goals. The blog achieves this by featuring pieces written by MCH students nationwide, allowing them to reflect on their experiences and apply the 12 MCH Leadership Competencies to their work. Secondly, I greatly appreciate that these positions have given me the gift of a community, which is crucial for everyone but especially vital for me as an international student. By connecting directly with fellow MCH students outside of the classroom, I have forged many strong connections that have proven valuable not only academically and professionally but also personally, serving as my support network away from home!

Estefanía’s Products and Contributions:

Academic & Professional Career

What brought you to the MCH Program?

Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to receive education from institutions in the US, both online and through limited in-person engagements. The diversity, academic freedom, and student-centered teaching methods of the US. education system encouraged me to take my next academic steps in the US. Knowing that I would need support to make such a big move, I applied to the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. After receiving the good news that I had been selected for the scholarship, my advisors recommended that I apply to the University of Minnesota (UMN) due to the outstanding reputation of their long-standing MCH program. I was convinced to attend the program after learning about its current ties to global health work with the Dominican Republic through a partnership with Batey Relief Alliance.

Throughout my MPH journey, I have also received support from the International Peace Scholarship (IPS) by P.E.O. International. I am overwhelmingly thankful for their assistance and would highly recommend the scholarship to any international student. Additionally, they offer grants and convenient loans for those local to the US, so be sure to check them out!

Are you pursuing a minor/track and, if so, which one and why?

I am pursuing minors in Epidemiology and Global Public Health. Regarding epidemiology, I consider it a fundamental skill, especially in settings where the number of public health professionals is limited, such as in the Dominican Republic. Taking additional courses in epidemiology was certainly a way to refine my competencies. As for global health, during the MPH, I learned that it does not necessarily mean traveling abroad but prioritizing addressing health inequities that are close to us. In my context of practice, opportunities to reduce disparities in vulnerable populations are everywhere, sometimes hidden in plain sight. Therefore, I was interested in strengthening my understanding of this area, as discussed further in the photo caption I wrote for the Global Health Photo Contest from the Global Health Workgroup – where I had the honor of being selected as a second-place winner.

Can you share about your academic journey before the MCH program?

The higher education system in the Dominican Republic varies from that of the US. I initiated my medical training right after high school. Although I was certain about wanting to work with the maternal and child population by mid-training, it was not until my final year of medical school that I became convinced I needed to focus my career on upstream approaches rather than working as a medical practitioner. You can read my Center for MCH spotlight and Students of SPH feature to learn more about my journey and motivators to pursue the MCH program.

Outside of your position at the Center, what are you working on?

I wear many hats! In addition to pursuing the MCH Program and my role at the Center, I continue to collaborate with the Program of Nutrition of the Ministry of Public Health of the Dominican Republic (my workplace before moving to Minneapolis). There, I create weekly nutrition education social media posts (#JuevesDeNutrición) to increase knowledge and awareness of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle habits, among other tasks. 

At the UMN, I am a data collector for Preschool Plates, a cohort study led by the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health that uses innovative mixed-methods to explore the variations in different food parenting practices across different times and contexts as well as how these practices influence children’s dietary intake over the long term. I certainly love connecting with families and entertaining preschoolers while their parents complete in-person study activities. It has also been a fantastic environment for observing the intricacies of an NIH-funded research project and understanding, in practice, how vital it is to standardize procedures, adhere to protocols, keep track of activities, and, most importantly, respect patients’ dignity, rights (including privacy and safety), and overall well-being. 

Lastly, one role I take pride in is academically advising health professionals back home when time allows. Throughout my training, I have been fortunate to have very supportive mentors, and this is something I look forward to paying back by advising students back home. I assist them in discerning their next steps, provide advice to enhance their CVs, and offer feedback on their personal statements and overall applications for medical residencies and other academic or professional opportunities.

What are you most proud of during your career?

What I am most proud of throughout the program is that I have been able to make the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study abroad in such an outstanding program. I have been fortunate to successfully complete all the courses that sparked my interest, including one with the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing: CSPH 5905 – Food Matters: Cook Like Your Life Depends On It. This experiential-learning nutrition and culinary course is designed for health professional students and involves real cooking of healthy, delicious foods.

I also had the chance to complete two minors in Epidemiology and Global Public Health (discussed above). One aspect that convinced me to pursue the latter was my participation in the Global Health Ethics Hackathon Challenge, where I had the honor of being awarded third place alongside fellow MCH student Cassie Mohawk.

Another accomplishment I am proud of is successfully completing my Applied Practice Experience (APEx) with Batey Relief Alliance in the Dominican Republic. During this experience, my colleagues and now friends, Kailee Schaberg and Cassie Mohawk, and I, under the guidance of Dr. Zobeida Bonilla, spent three weeks conducting fieldwork in rural areas of Monte Plata, Dominican Republic. Alongside local community health workers, our work involved surveying local women and children to collect baseline data on their nutritional status. This data would serve the organization in advancing its maternal and child health nutrition programs and providing evidence that could justify the continuation of funding. If you are an MCH student looking to pursue a global health APEx, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Bonilla early on and look out for funding opportunities available through the Judd Travel Grant and the Martinson-Luepker International Travel Fund through the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health (EpiCH).

Concurrently, I gained professional experience with the positions mentioned above and presented my past and current products in settings such as UMN’s Practice Day, UMN’s Research Day, Fulbright’s research events, and the Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA)’s Annual Conference. As I embark on my final semester of the MPH program, I am proud to say that I made the most of my time here!

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, my plan is to return to the Dominican Republic and launch my career in a role related to maternal and child public health. My particular interest lies in nutrition. Despite the option of further expanding my academic and professional horizons in the US, I am aware of the impact I can make back home. There is a pressing need to address various indicators, including maternal and infant mortality, which still lag behind established targets. My goal is not only to contribute to advancing MCH but also to inspire others to embark on paths in public health. This is especially crucial in the context of maternal and child public health, a field that is not widely practiced in the Dominican Republic.

Fun Facts & Advice

What is your favorite place on campus?

If we have talked for more than 10 minutes, you probably know that my favorite place on campus is the Health Sciences Libraries Makerspace. This space, available to all UMN-TC students, faculty, and staff for free, provides a wealth of equipment, materials, and tools to let your creative juices flow. If you are a crafty person like me (even if it is just for fun, nothing pro), stop by the Makerspace between classes—their staff is really nice and guides you step by step in using all the available tools, including Cricut machines, 3D printers, sewing and embroidery machines, button makers, and many more. Many of their projects can be completed in less than 30 minutes, knowing that time is precious as a student. My favorite activities include printing stickers to customize my mugs and notebooks, creating cards for my loved ones, and I recently learned how to sew and embroider a basic pillow!!

If you weren’t working in public health and academia, what would you be doing?

If I were not working in public health, I would probably be involved in crafts or baking! These are the two activities I enjoy the most for fun. While I am not an expert in either, my loved ones truly appreciate my handmade gifts and baked goods. I feel the greatest joy when engaging in these activities!

Can you offer a piece of advice to MCH students?

I have always been more motivated to complete coursework when I can foresee its real-life application. For that reason, with most of my MPH assignments, I have tried to focus on topics I am deeply interested in, such as nutrition, or in settings where I envision myself practicing, such as the Dominican Republic. This approach ensures that my efforts not only contribute to successfully completing the course but also align with my future steps. A concrete example is from the Grant Writing course (PubH 6673) where I completed the final assignment—a letter of application for a grant—with my upcoming APEx project in mind. I knew beforehand that I needed to apply for grants to fund the APEx and I ended up repurposing the writing I did in class for my actual grant applications (which I successfully obtained!) and for various other write-ups required for my APEx. Strategically approaching most of my assignments in this manner has allowed me to be more efficient with my time while also taking more advantage of the valuable feedback from professors.

Cassie Mohawk

Tell Us About Yourself!

I was born and raised in the Twin Cities. I started the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program right after finishing my undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). I am an auntie to two amazing nieces. I have a goofy dog named Bear that I love. In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, drinking lots of iced lattes, and traveling. 2023 was the first year I traveled outside of the United States. I went on a family vacation to Mexico, completed my APEx with two other MCHers, Kailee Elizabeth Schaberg and Estefanía Henríquez Luthje, in the Dominican Republic, and went on a long overdue vacation in Europe with my best friend, Ruby.

Center Position

What’s your role at the Center?  

At the Center, I am the Communication Research Assistant. In my role, I post on our social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X [Twitter], LinkedIn, and Youtube), update our website, develop and distribute our Healthy Generations eNewsletter, as well as provide technical and creative edits to Center projects and events. I have always had a passion for health communication since my Event Coordinator Assistantship during my undergraduate program with Dr. Amy Versnik Nowak, and I was amazed when I found this position. After I graduate, I plan to continue working in health communication in an MCH setting. 

Some specific projects I have worked on include Center Student Spotlights, JIWC policy briefs, Little Eyes, Big Eyes (LEBE) awareness campaign for the Minnesota Vision Health Taskforce, and more. Look below at my products and contributions for more details.

Follow the Center’s Social Media accounts! 🙂

Cassie’s Products and Contributions:

Academic & Professional Career

 What brought you to the MCH Program?

I completed my undergraduate degree in Public Health Education at the UMD. During my time there, I was a research assistant for Dr. Hanson on a grant for adding a social support aspect to the CHOICES intervention for Native American communities. During this assistantship, I developed a love for maternal and women’s health. I dedicated all of my class projects going forward to topics related to maternal and women’s health, but still did not feel fulfilled and wanted to learn more. When looking to deepen my understanding, I found the University of Minnesota’s MCH MPH program. From my sophomore year in my undergraduate education, I knew I would apply for this program. To prepare for the program, I received undergraduate minors in Early Childhood Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Are you pursuing a minor/track and, if so, which one and why?

I am pursuing a Sexual Health minor. I felt that the Sexual Health minor really coincided with the MCH program and built on my Women, Gender, and Sexuality minor from my undergraduate program.

What are you most proud of during your career? 

My APEX experience in the Dominican Republic (DR) in the summer of 2023. I spent three weeks in the DR with two MCH students, Kailee Elizabeth Schaberg and Estefanía Henríquez Luthje, and Associate Professor, Dr. Zobeida Bonilla, to work directly with colleagues at Batey Relief Alliance (BRA). Our group project aim was to determine the nutritional status as well as identify socio-demographic and behavioral factors associated with food security, parasitic infections, micronutrient supplementation, and breastfeeding through anthropometric measurements among children under ten and surveying women of reproductive ages (18 – 49 years old) in three communities in the Dominican Republic: Hoyo de Pum, Triple Ozama, and Guasumita. Pictured is a poster that Kailee, Estefanía, and I created for the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health SPH Research Day. In collaboration with BRA, we created a report of all the data collected from our experience to share with funders, government officials, and community members.

What are your plans after graduation?

The simple answer is to get a job. But really, I want to make a difference. I know that is cliche, but it’s true. I also want to continue learning. I have been toying with the idea of looking for a certificate in health communication or marketing to expand my knowledge in that field, but I am still unsure.

Fun Facts & Advice

What is a fun fact about yourself?

I have recently started reading again. My goal for 2024 is to find what genre of books I really like. During school, I do not have a lot of extra time to read, so I usually get a lot in during breaks. I am excited to be able to read all the time after I graduate.

Picture from a hike in Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay, MN.

What drew you to Minnesota?

I was born and raised in Minnesota, and truly I love this state. Even though the winters are too cold and the snow is too much, I still love it. Do not be surprised if I travel to warmer places to escape the freezing weather.

If you weren’t working in public health and academia, what would you be doing?

Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher so that is a definite possibility. I also thought about pursuing a career in interior design, but soon found out that most of the schools for that were on the East and West Coast. At the time, I did not want to move that far away from my family and friends.

Can you offer a piece of advice to MCH students?

Really hone in on your interests. The two years go faster than you think. Take advantage of the free events, assistantships, or internships that are offered. Also, make sure to take time for yourself. Grad school can get overwhelming at times so remember to do the things you love and take a break from your computer.

What is the most valuable skill a student can have to succeed in this field?

Being flexible. Things change all the time, and that is okay. Learning how to adapt to change is one of the most valuable skills.

Sara Benning

Sara Benning, our Center Director, took a creative spin on sharing her personal and professional journey. Click through the slide show below using the arrows on the sides to learn about Sara.

Dr. ZObeida Bonilla

Tell Us About Yourself!

I was born and raised in Cayey, Puerto Rico in a mountainous community called Pasto Viejo.

Center Position

What’s your role at the Center?

I am the Program Director of the SPH’s Maternal and Child Health Program at the University of Minnesota and work with Sara Benning in the planning, development, and implementation of Center programming. My role is more at the larger, macro-level aspects of the Center’s work, which seeks to strengthen the MCH public health workforce. The most fulfilling part of my work is the work we do with students and our partners from community-based agencies and departments of health, both local and state levels, and projects that build the skills and capacity of the future MCH workforce.

Academic & Professional Career

What brought you to the MCH Program?

After working for about 10+ years in the non-profit sector in addition to state and county departments of health, I decided to go into academia. Prior to coming to UMN, I was on the faculty at Indiana University former School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) now the School of Public Health. However, what attracted me to this program was the focus on MCH and its reputation. I trained in an MPH program dedicated to Maternal and Child Health at Boston University and the UMN SPH had a degree in public health fully dedicated to Maternal and Child Health. There was a job opening and I applied. I have been here since September of 2010.

What do you like best about teaching public health students?

I am encouraged by the energy, commitment, and compassion that public health students bring to their work with MCH populations.

Where do you see the area of MCH going in the next few years?

Adolescent health is an area of growth; improved methodologies and theoretical approaches to interrogate existing knowledge and to better understand the social determinants of health.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Working with students, especially those interested in global health projects.

Fun Facts & Advice

Tell us something about yourself – Do you have any hobbies? What is your favorite book?

I have several favorite authors that I like, the Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos and the Puerto Rican Jesuist and historian Fernando Picó Bauermeister, the Cuban poet Nicolas Guillén, and more recently Nancy Morejón, also a Cuban poet. I like to get together with my friends and play my guitar with the group, mostly Latin rhythms. I also like to grow flowers and write poems. 

What is the last book you read?

The Way of a Pilgrim (translated from Russian by Olga Savin), and Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler (still reading this).

What is something someone might not know about you?

I really, really like this American thing called S’more! 

If you weren’t working in public health and academia, what would you be doing?

 I would be doing medical anthropology, my home discipline, and more direct community-based work.

What drew you to Minnesota?

Definitely, career opportunities, the SPH, and the excellent MCH Program that we have here.

Can you offer a piece of advice to MCH students?

Do not stop learning. Always follow your passion. Be grateful, be humble, and be kind – this triad helps us to do our job in public health! Do not forget the margins. We have a responsibility to denounce injustices and create, build, and restore health. We are all in this together.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?

From my father when I was 15: “No dejes que nadie te corte las alas; don’t let anyone clip your wings.”

Interested in learning more about other Center Students? Read Center Student Spotlights from Spring 2023