Estivaliz Castro is a second year HSB-65 student interested in program planning, implementation and evaluation. In this Q&A she shares her experiences as a participant of the American Evaluation Association – Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) and as a teaching assistant in the Leaders in Health program offered at the Harvard T.H. Chan School.
First off, congratulations on being granted an internship through the American Evaluation Association. Can you tell us about the GEDI program, what you do at your host site, and what you like about the program so far?
GEDI provides training on culturally responsive evaluation to graduate students that are traditionally underrepresented in the field of evaluation. Part of the program requires students to support local organizations (host sites) in an evaluation project. At my host site, I am working with a school district on creating an evaluation design and framework for a program they plan to evaluate in the future. The most rewarding part of GEDI has been being part of a network of individuals who are constantly pushing to have evaluation theory and practices center culture and history.
You are also a teaching assistant with Leaders in Health (LIH) this Fall. Can you describe LIH and your role in the program? What have you learned in that role?
Leaders in Health (LIH) is an 8-week training program for individuals working in local community health initiatives. LIH trains participants in public health principles, community-based participatory research, program planning, and evaluation. Alongside two other fellow T.A.s, my role is to support participants in their understanding of the material and in developing their projects. I particularly support participants working in organizations that address trauma and violence in the Boston area.
Being a T.A. with the LIH program has been the most rewarding experience as a student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School. I am able to apply what I learned in classes such as SBS 201: Society and Health, SBS 219: High-Risk Behavior: Epidemiology and Prevention, and SBS 265: Program Planning, to real life projects. I have also learned so much about the work that is being done in Boston to reduce violence and improve overall health. What I love the most about the LIH program, however, is the space it creates. From my experience, it is rare to see representatives from local community organizations consistently on campus sharing their experiences and knowledge. However, this is the norm in the LIH program. On a typical Thursday afternoon during an LIH session, you can find individuals from a wide age range and diverse backgrounds discussing how to improve the health of the Boston community through a variety of efforts. Being in that space is so special to me.
What do you hope to do after graduating from the MPH-65 program?
Although I am still figuring it out, my hope is to help plan, implement, and evaluate health programs at the local level through strong community partnerships. I hope to use the skills learned both through the GEDI program and LIH to inform the work I do. I also would like to continue to be a bridge between academic institutions and community partners to collaborate on health programs.
– Interview by Whitney Waddell
