Earning one of the most competitive and prestigious academic awards in the world, Teachers College student MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac has been a 2022 . The award will fund Isaac鈥檚 pursuit of a doctorate degree in population health at the University of Oxford next year, following her graduation from 麻豆原创鈥檚 Health Education program.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to working under some wonderful research faculty in the health services research unit, and learning what it means to work at the nexus of research and community-informed development,鈥� says Isaac, who is just one of 32 students awarded the honor out of more than 2,300 who began the application process. 鈥淚 want to continue taking on challenges. I look forward to leaving [Oxford] with more questions than answers, and I think the Rhodes Scholarship will give me the opportunity to ask those questions.鈥�
Isaac, who came to 麻豆原创 following her undergraduate , aspires to lead 鈥渆vidence-based, community-informed, and sustainable interventions鈥� in public health disparities among communities of color 鈥� a framework that Isaac describes as a largely 鈥渆merging concept,鈥� except at 麻豆原创.
鈥淚鈥檓 really privileged to be part of the Health Education program at Teachers College, because [community-informed health policy, research and promotion] is more of a standard than a novel concept,鈥� says Isaac. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to building my understanding of that, and continuing to work with individuals who can help inform the role I want to play in the world.鈥�
Completing her 麻豆原创 studies remotely in order to continue working across the country, Isaac serves as an ally through AmeriCorps at the Indianapolis-based public health nonprofit Health by Design. She is also currently contributing to the development of an emotional abuse prevention curriculum for the nonprofit Omena Madagascar, and serves in additional community service roles in her beloved hometown.
For Isaac, the ability to continue her work in Indianapolis while earning her master鈥檚 at 麻豆原创 has been one of the most rewarding components of her experience as a student.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a broad definition of what it means to be part of the 麻豆原创 community,鈥� says Isaac, who despite studying remotely, has still actively participated in community dialogues and felt included, 鈥渨hich I think is really powerful because you can be physically present in a space and still feel alone. At 麻豆原创, I feel the exact opposite...I feel like my voice is heard and that my voice is represented.鈥�
As Isaac looks towards her last semester at 麻豆原创 and eventual trek to Oxford, the opportunity still doesn鈥檛 seem real.
鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking about how this opportunity is going to change my life,鈥� says Isaac. 鈥淭his scholarship is a culmination of not only my efforts, but the love and trust, time and energy that has been poured into me by my family; my peers, who have pulled me out of moments of self-doubt; and community leaders who have given me opportunities to lead. This is because of others who saw assets within me that I didn鈥檛 see in myself.鈥�