Chloe Morales is a second-year MPP student concentrating in behavioral health with a focus on expanding access to preventative mental health care services. As an undergraduate at Brandeis, she earned dual degrees in Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP) and Biology. After graduating a semester early, she joined JSI Research & Training Institute as an Immunization Information System Coordinator, working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Immunization Division and their Massachusetts Immunization Information System. Gaining real world experience in public health inspired her to consider furthering her knowledge with a graduate degree.
Despite initially considering a master’s of public health program, Chloe realized that her interests lay more in the policy side of health. “I’m interested in looking beyond the symptoms and understanding their cause,” she says. “When you create policy solutions, you can address inequities at the root level.” The Heller Master of Public Policy program was immediately top of mind: “I knew that Heller provided financial aid to Brandeis alumni, which was super helpful in making my decision. It made pursuing graduate studies so much more accessible for me.”
Returning to the Brandeis campus in August 2024 introduced Chloe to a whole new community as a Heller student. “I really appreciate having a community I can rely on. Everyone really supports one another, whether it’s in the classroom, at events, or just in day-to-day interactions. It’s really special to have that connection not only with our peers, but with our professors,” she says. “We’re constantly learning from each other and having really meaningful discussions.”
As a student in the Behavioral Health Policy concentration, Chloe has been exposed to policy and program evaluations, ultimately zeroing in on an area that is particularly important to her. “Based on my own experiences with mental health and trauma in general, one of my main areas of interest is increasing access to preventative mental health services and improving what already exists,” she says. “Addressing the roots of intergenerational trauma can have a deep impact on marginalized communities like immigrant families and LGBTQ folks.” Chloe notes that taking a preventative approach to mental health can benefit overall health outcomes by reducing chronic illness and improving physical health.
In addition to her Heller studies and continuing to work for JSI, Chloe was selected as an ENACT Research and Advocacy Fellow. The fellowship program gives Brandeis students the opportunity to collaborate with a group of their peers to engage in on-campus research followed by an on-campus change project. This year, Chloe and 10 undergraduate fellows are doing a participatory action research project looking at menstrual management experiences on campus: “It’s been really great to reconnect with the undergraduate community again. I get to apply not only what I’ve learned in my first year as a grad student, but also act as a peer mentor.”
The group is currently meeting once a week to work on their project, which involves conducting interviews to identify the challenges students face, the resources they use, and the gaps in support or infrastructure that impact their menstrual health and well-being. “Our hope is that this research can be used to inform campus policy, improve access to menstrual products and facilities, and promote a more inclusive and supportive environment for menstruating students,” says Chloe. “We’re effecting change that I think is going to have a real impact on the campus.”
Chloe’s advice for prospective students is to keep an open mind and learn how to adapt: “Especially given all the changes in the current political climate, it’s important to be prepared for the fact that things might not go as planned, and that’s okay,” she says, recalling her search for an internship the previous summer. “A lot of nonprofits were no longer able to offer internships anymore due to lack of funding. I had to pivot, but, as a result, I ended up interning at the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine (C-Change).” As a research intern, Chloe conducted literature reviews and explored the social and health policy ramifications of findings in the literature related to C-Change’s mission and research. “Change can be hard, but I’ve learned to go with the flow and appreciate that it can lead to unexpected opportunities.”