Nailah Wheeler

Global Health '26

December 4, 2025

Why did you choose Rollins? And why did you decide to study Global Health with an MCH Certificate?  

Initially, I was not considering Rollins as my first choice. I applied to Tulane and Columbia, and there were a number of other schools that I was considering. I chose Rollins because at Visit Emory Day, I really liked how Rollins emphasized community-centered and evidence-based approaches for improving Global Health outcomes. The MCH certificate was also appealing to me, because I wanted to focus my work on women and children, while also having global health experiences. Visit Emory Day was a very engaging experience and showed that Rollins aligned well with my mission of focusing on health equity.   

I also interned with the CDC in the Global Immunization Division prior to coming to Rollins, which was a beautiful transition. A number of people at the CDC are Rollins’ alumni, and they all emphasized that I would have a great experience. I was feeling really excited to come  to Emory. Thus far, I have appreciated the structure of the courses and transferable skills that are taught. They have applied really well to my internship experiences and the work I did throughout my APE.  

Could you talk about your APE in Tanzania?

Like everyone else, I was going through the process of applying to my APE, and the requirements for the Global Health department and MCH certificate are very specific. I found the Tanzania project with Dr. Joshua Jeong, ScD, Assistant Professor in the Global Health Department, through 12Twenty.This APE seemed like a great fit for me based on my previous experiences in the space of Early Childhood Development.    

The project focused on early childhood development targeting 17 different villages in Tanzania to improve responsive caring skills, and the quality of childhood development overall. I traveled to Tanzania for the month of July, specifically to Mwanza. I have been to Africa before, but this was my first time in east Africa — it was an amazing experience.  

Dr. Jeong is partnered with Tanzania Home Economics Organization (TAHEA), an NGO located in Mwanza. They have been instrumental in collaborating and facilitating in country delivery of the intervention. My role is data management and analyzing feedback received from Community Health Workers. While in Tanzania, I was collecting the information from Community Health Workers through an extensive survey that asks questions about the sessions and observed or expressed improvements caregivers are experiencing due to the intervention sessions. I then take the information from the surveys and put it in an online database that creates graphs that our team analyzes to inform future CHW training and program refinement.   

I am still working on this project for my Emory REAL job position and have just finished up my hours for my APE. We are in the last couple sessions of delivering the intervention. Overall, this project has involved a lot of monitoring and evaluation, trying to understand if intervention efforts are being applied well to the context, program activity completion and determining steps to train Community Health Workers.   

What do you hope to do after graduating from Rollins?  

I have been thinking about this a lot! Considering the political climate, it takes a lot of being very creative with opportunities. I have really enjoyed program evaluation and implementation, and I want my work to incorporate this.  

I work for a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia called the Business Center for Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise, which is focused on helping small businesses start and sustain their operations. I am thinking of trying to collaborate my public health degree with this work, because there are ways that I can use skills that I have gained from my MPH program to assist this organization’s goals.  They have a new program centered on global initiatives, and we just had a session in Cameroon. In Philadelphia, the organization has partnered with local public schools to teach youth entrepreneurship. There is a need for this abroad as well, and they have partnered with communities in Cameroon, which is their first time implementing the program internationally. Now that they are incorporating a global aspect, there are ways that I can be involved in that.    

Outside of that, I will consider other public health opportunities of interest, like the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta or Grady. I would like to focus on community and population health.   

What are you doing for your capstone?   

I just got my assignment in section 4, and I am working with Dr. Young in evidence-based decision making for a global micronutrient malnutrition program. I was really interested in taking her capstone course because her other courses were a great way of evaluating programs implemented globally to target malnutrition. In her previous course we evaluated the effectiveness of interventions, what changes have been made, and how programs can be expanded.  

What advice do you have for current first years and future MCH Certificate students?  

I would really take advantage of the space at Rollins, especially the professors and the people that we work with. They are extremely knowledgeable, and they have a lot of information that they want to share with us. You may have to step outside of your comfort zone and be very proactive in engaging with peers and professors. Emory has a really nice space for doing this, and you can really tell that the people enjoy the work that they are doing, and they are really passionate. Time goes by a lot faster than you think it will, and it has been a very enjoyable experience!   

What do you enjoy doing most outside of public health?  

I really like trying new restaurants and spending time with friends. In Atlanta, I enjoy Toco Hills, and the Beltline has a lot to offer. Barcelona Wine Bar has a really nice ambiance. I also enjoy traveling, which is no surprise with my Global Health passion!