In 2021, Katlin Harwood-Schelb, MPH ’24, decided to take a chance. After hearing about a brand-new scholarship opportunity from MSU’s Master of Public Health (MPH) offering students living or working in Flint full financial support to pursue an MPH degree, she decided to apply.

“I wasn’t sure if I would get it, but you miss all of the opportunities you don’t take,” she said. “And I was very, very happy when I found out I got it.”

As the inaugural recipient of the Flint Spartan Master of Public Health Scholarship, Harwood-Schelb continued to work as a research assistant at the MSU-Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative while pursuing her MPH.

“The scholarship helped me by just taking a load off – it was one less thing for me to worry about. It let me focus more on my studies and connect better with other students,” she said.

Harwood-Schelb has been in Flint since 2017 working on projects revolving around maternal and infant health. She decided to pursue a Master of Public Health to gain the skills and knowledge needed to better serve the community members she meets with.

“What I love the most about working in the Flint community is spending time with and talking with community members - they’re passionate and creative and very engaged,” she said. “For a period of time, I would visit moms and inform them about the Rx Kids program at their first OB visit. It was great to hear how excited they were about it.”

Receiving her MPH diploma was a surreal moment for Harwood-Schelb. She was able to meet many fellow classmates in person at the 2024 fall commencement. “It honestly was a little strange at first, but it was nice!” she said. “Even if you never took a class with someone, once you introduce yourself in real life you already feel like friends because you’re excited for each other having gone through the same thing together.”

Looking back on her experience as a Flint Spartan Scholar, Harwood-Schelb is grateful to have had the opportunity to further her understanding of social determinants of health and to now apply what she’s learned in her work. “Learning more about how deeply seeded health disparities are really reinforced my passion for helping others,” she said. “I believe in the power of people. There is so much strength in working as a community to start change there. That was a vital lesson throughout all of my courses, and I have witnessed it firsthand at my job.”

“I started in an administrative role, but now I’ve been given more responsibility, and I feel more prepared to complete those tasks. Before, I didn’t know about the planning, the constant advocacy that’s necessary for a study, and the level of work and dedication that goes into the creation of community-based research programs.”

Harwood-Schelb encourages prospective and current students to reach out to faculty and fellow classmates as much as possible. “The faculty and staff care a lot about the students in the program. Not only about their education but also their wellbeing,” she said. “They cared about me as a person, not just a student.”

Joining the Student Advisory Board (SAB) was a highlight for Harwood-Schelb, giving her the chance to meet new people and even gave her the opportunity to advocate for public health outside the classroom. “In April 2024 a group of us met with Michigan Congress members to talk about public health issues in Michigan, and I never would have been able to do that without joining SAB.”

The Flint Spartan Master of Public Health Scholarship accepts applications every fall semester, awarding free tuition to a student living or working in the greater Flint community. Harwood-Schelb’s advice? “Take a chance and apply!”

February 12, 2025