Addressing the health needs of diverse communities

Julia Holahan '16 is pursuing a doctorate in occupational therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University. A Spanish major at Roanoke, Holahan wishes the Public Health Studies major were available when she was an undergraduate. "I think the program that Roanoke is launching would have given me an even better understanding of the needs of diverse communities," She says, "and how different public and private agencies can help them."

Holahan wants to pursue a career as an occupational therapist, and be certified as a medical translator.  "Language barriers are a big struggle in the health field today," she says, "As a Spanish speaker I can be an advocate for my clients, helping them get the services they need from other agencies."