Steve talks with his classmates at the MSc-GH Welcome Dinner in the fall.
Published April 11, 2014, last updated on April 9, 2018 under Voices of DGHI
By Steve Kimani, MSc-GH ‘14
On this rainy spring day here in Durham, I finalized the last piece of my research thesis; a manuscript for publication. As I walked out of Trent Hall, in that typical bounce one gets after accomplishing a herculean task, I couldn’t help but reminisce about my time here.
Standing at the edge of the street, my mind flashed back to when I first learned about the Duke Master of Science in Global Health. As I tried to locate North Carolina on the map, I was already feeling exhilarated. This program’s innovative, flexible, and comprehensive curriculum made me feel as if it was designed specifically for me.
Exactly 900 days later, I am in an expansive mood, confident of my ability to thrive in any career path I pursue. I have seen my critical reasoning, professionalism, analytical and interpersonal skills grow tremendously. Through DGHI-supported research and teaching assistantships with my mentors Dr. Christina Meade and Dr. Melissa Watt, I have gained hands-on experience in research, teaching and leadership that I strongly believe will propel my career forward. This experience has also taught me the art of mentorship and service, having experienced how graciously my mentors nurtured me to reach greater heights of success professionally and otherwise.
Aside from the education I have received at DGHI, I am most fond of the people. When you first arrive here, the thing that strikes you about the ‘global health side’ of Trent Hall is that everyone is always smiling. I can’t think of any moment when I was met with a gloomy face upon entering the building. The hallways are always filled with people who are really happy with their work. Behind these smiling faces are students, professors, and administrators who set out every day to make their contribution in reducing health disparities globally, through collaborative teamwork.
Sincerely, this was always a breath of fresh air during the busiest times of the program -- like when I was trying to strike a balance between class assignments and getting IRB approval for my summer research project during the spring semester of my first year. Or when it felt as if one was a drowning man clutching at a straw in the middle of a busy semester. In these challenging times, everyone helped you continue to move forward with words of encouragement and that infectious smile. This sense of collegiality among global health leaders (current and future) transformed my learning from a great experience to an exceptional one.
It is a true testimony of DGHI’s commitment to its mission of training the next generation of global health leaders. As the curtains fall on this phase of my career, I feel privileged to have been part of this life-changing experience. While I will be leaving with a fully-loaded ‘skills’ box, I am melancholic about leaving behind the smiling faces of Trent Hall. Thank you all for providing such an enriching environment.
