Adeline Clifford ‘26 | Psychology and Community and Public Health major, Neuroscience minor
"Being a Community and Public Health major has both broadened my perspective on what I aspire to in my career and provided me with key insights into the social determinants of health and how public health can empower community members. I am incredibly grateful to work with the amazing faculty whose passion for this program is palpable."
Adeline Clifford ’26 is a Psychology and Community and Public Health major with a Neuroscience minor. She is grateful for the community engagement opportunities Saint Anselm College exposes students to, providing them with an early glimpse into their area of interest.
What is unique about the Community and Public Health Program at Saint Anselm College?
What’s interesting is how the major ties back to the aspect of “community.” Saint Anselm is known for having a tight-knit community, and I believe it is because the Benedictine values of community. In the public health field, meeting a community where they are at is crucial to the success of a health intervention. Working within a group and including the community in conversations about their health is crucial because community members are going to have so many more insights on what’s affecting their health and to what extent because they are experiencing them first-hand. Reaching out to the community leads to a more inclusive and comprehensive change that is more likely to be applied into people’s lives.
What has been your favorite experience in the program?
My favorite experience so far was community engaged learning. I helped two instructors in Access Academy work with students who are typically underrepresented in higher education and earn high school credit. I found concepts that we discussed in class connected with real-world experience. I fell in love with the program and have taught the course since my first year. I think that getting involved and invested within the Manchester community so early on in my Saint Anselm career helped me understand my interest in public health and psychology even more.
What is your favorite course you have taken, and why?
One of my favorite courses is Introduction to Public Health with Professor Tauna Sisco. Given that the Community and Public Health major is new, I am grateful to be a part of the first class and program. From the very first class, I immediately knew I wanted to be more involved. Another favorite course I took was Psychology of Personality with former Professor Bertrand Ouellette who always found ways to communicate and make personal connections with each and every student.
Who has been your favorite professor or mentor at Saint Anselm?
Professor Ouellette was one of my favorite professors as he always found new and inventive ways to keep his students both engaged and entertained in class. Professor Elizabeth Rickenbach has also been an incredible mentor to me. I am so grateful to have met her as she has helped me explore new opportunities and further my interests in both psychology and public health. She is an incredibly talented professor who cares deeply for her students.
Are you involved in any clubs or organizations on campus?
I spend a lot of my time in the Meelia Center for Community Engagement and it has been such a rewarding and life-changing experience. Within the Meelia Center, I work as an Access Academy instructor teaching marine biology to high school students so they can earn school credit. Community engagement and outreach have truly changed my life. Working in the Meelia Center has helped me make connections within the Greater Manchester community, and I feel so happy that I can call Saint Anselm and the city of Manchester my second home. I am a member of the Honors Program and am a part of the Honors Council, a peer tutor, a member of the Foster and Adoptive Parents Night Out (FAPNO) leadership team, the entertainment and activities coordinator for the Campus Activity Board (CAB), event coordinator for the Best Buddies program, Student Government Association (SGA) senator, Psi Chi member, Anselmian Engagement Committee member, SGA Academics Committee member, Sophomore Leadership Council member, Alpha Lambda Delta member, research fellow/coordinator in the Psychology Department, New Student Orientation leader, and involved with the Food, Clothing, and Furniture Drive.
Do you have an idea of what you want to do postgrad?
After graduation, I plan to take my background in psychology and public health and combine them in a clinical setting. I hope to earn my Master’s in Public Health (MPH) and then my clinical degree. I want to work with individuals and in larger groups/communities. Being a Community and Public Health major has both broadened my perspective on what I aspire to in my career and provided me with key insights into the social determinants of health and how public health can empower community members.
What would you tell first-year students who are interested in the program?
With the Community and Public Health Program being so new, I have been lucky enough to have professors that care so much about students' input about public health. Something that's so special about the department is that all four department heads are from different backgrounds that delineates the fact that major is so interdisciplinary. It is supportive of all its students and helps us to thrive in an area of study we enjoy most.