Michigan State University is excited to congratulate Day Austin as the 2026 recipient of the Flint Spartan Master of Public Health Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to an incoming Master of Public Health student who lives or works in the greater Flint community.
In this Q&A, Austin shares her experience as a Flint Spartan Scholar and her passion for community and public health.
Austin is a Flint native and currently serves as a Program Manager for Rx Kids through GiveDirectly. Passionate about strengthening communities and improving public health, Austin brings her commitment to the Flint community to her work and pursuit of an MPH.
Tell us a little about yourself! What are you studying at MSU, and what inspired you to pursue your field?
I currently work as a Program Manager at a non-profit organization. We are currently focusing efforts on a maternal and infant health program. I was drawn to public health because I've seen firsthand how much community health is shaped by policy, access, and systems, not just individual choices. That perspective pushed me toward a field where I could work on solutions at a population level rather than just one person at a time.
What does the Flint community mean to you, and how has your experience in Flint shaped your time at MSU?
I was born and raised in Flint, so this isn't just a place I live. It's home. My experience here has shaped how I see public health: I didn't learn about health disparities from a textbook, I grew up inside them. That's given me a sense of urgency and purpose that's led me to attend MSU. I'm not just studying public health in the abstract; I'm studying it because I want to bring what I learn back to the community that raised me.
How will receiving this scholarship impact your educational journey?
Honestly, without this scholarship, I won't be able to pursue my degree. This isn't about making things a little easier. It's about whether I can continue at MSU at all. Receiving this support would mean I get to stay focused on my education and my work with Rx Kids, rather than having to step away from a program
What does being a Spartan mean to you?
To me, being a Spartan means using what you learn to fight for what you believe in, not just academically, but in practice. Through my work as program manager on Rx Kids, I try to live that every day. Being a Spartan isn't a title I now hold on campus. It's something I will carry into the community every day.
What are your hopes and goals for the future?
My hope is to make real change in my community. I want to help people see that communities can work, that real, lasting change is possible when we all work together. Flint has taught me that progress doesn't come from one person or one program. It comes from people showing up for each other. That's the kind of public health work I want to build my career around: not just treating problems after they happen, but helping create the conditions where communities can support one another and thrive.
If you could give one piece of advice to another student from Flint who hopes to attend college, what would you tell them?
Your background isn't something to overcome before college. It's something to bring with you. Growing up in Flint gave me a perspective a lot of my classmates didn't have, which has made me better at the work I do. Don't let anyone make you feel like you have to leave where you're from behind in order to succeed.
Finish this sentence: “I’m proud to be a Spartan because…”
…being a Spartan means turning your education into action, and I get to do that every day, working to improve health outcomes for the community that made me who I am.
The Flint Spartan Master of Public Health Scholarship was created to offer financial support to deserving students from the greater Flint community to pursue a graduate-level degree in public health. Thanks to generous support from the Michigan State University Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, the scholarship covers tuition and fees for our online, 43-credit MPH program.
September 21, 2026