Shannon Whittaker, who is graduating from the Yale School of Public Health next week with a PhD in social and behavioral sciences and public health, started her dissertation while COVID-19 had shut down most of the world. She calls it the most revelatory point of her time at YSPH. “I learned to rely on and trust myself and my instincts, which fostered a sense of self-reliance,” she said. Whittaker came to YSPH in 2018, interested in researching the intersection of race, health, and history, and how social, structural, and political processes impact the health of marginalized communities, especially Black communities. YSPH, she said, has profoundly shaped her development as a scholar. During her time here, she has earned two competitive grants and collaborated with researchers from various disciplines on three first-authored published manuscripts. Read more about her journey at YSPH and beyond through our link in bio! #myYSPH