Michele Hines
Philosophy Statement
As I begin my career in public health, I am finding that there are many areas that
capture my interest. Through learning the various aspects of public health that I once had little
knowledge of I find myself leaning towards the adolescents. I see so many opportunities that
would benefit their growth and understanding of life principles. I have had a few life
experiences that brought me to realize that although I am not rich, I have all that I need to live
comfortably and not all adolescents have that luxury. I would like to help create opportunities
for young adults to explore different avenues of lively hood and mentor them on the challenges
that come along with life. Focusing on things like how to pay bills, managing money, investing,
and introducing them to trades that will hold their interest if going to college is not their forte.
In my few years of living I have had opportunities to travel to less fortunate areas and
participate in functions that gave back to the community showing me there is a lot to be done
to improve the quality of life. Also realizing that through school we are not always taught how
to deal with real life situations and understanding does not always come from the household. It
takes a village to raise a child, education and schools play a role. I truly feel life experiences
have brought me to my career path.
I have been fortunate enough to have personal experiences with individuals in all walks
of life and this allowed me to see that there is a need for service within the community. One
philosophy associated with health that stuck out to me in our readings was the philosophy of
symmetry. The reason this philosophy resonates with me so much is because I am a firm
believer that health involves not only physical components, but also involves components such
as: emotional, spiritual, and social. In life you go through many phases and challenges, being
more Intune with yourself and your body can only amplify your experience of living. Having this
knowledge at a young age has also led me to take a liking in another philosophy mentioned in
our book that could tie into the previous philosophy I just mentioned. Known as freeing or
functioning philosophy, you are provided the information and are free to make decision based
on your own needs and interest, not societies. As you make choices in life you want to make
sure you are getting the right information to know how your choice will affect the outcome
whether it be physical, emotional, or all the above and my job one day will be to help the next
generation through this.
Through obtaining my bachelor’s in health science with a concentration in Public Health
and minor in Health education I hope to contribute to a company that expands my knowledge
of what a health educator can do and what all comes with being a part of the public health
field. I would like to continue my education by getting my minor in leadership and gaining more
experience with hands-on training. I hope to use the knowledge I have learned to help the
younger generation take the right steps based on their needs and interest. Giving them a
foundation to ask questions in a safe space and getting the educated answers. Our future is
based on the growing generation and being able to give them a support system as they grow
can benefit everyone.
