Graduating seniors Cynthia Sanders and Kennedy Stephens share a desire to improve health outcomes in communities like the ones that shaped them. Through the University of Kentucky College of Public Health Rural Health Scholars Program, both spent their summer in rural organizations, gaining firsthand experience with the systems, people, and partnerships that drive community health.
The program is designed to immerse students in the realities, challenges, and strengths of rural communities. For both students, the summer experience helped them clarify their futures and showed them how their passions could translate into meaningful careers.
Sanders: Seeing Public Health in Action Across Six Counties
Sanders conducted her fieldwork with the Lincoln Trail District Health Department, which serves six counties in central Kentucky, rotating through risk reduction, maternal and child health, environmental health, epidemiology and community outreach. She traveled across four counties, observing everything from syringe service programs and septic system evaluations to public pool inspections and community education events.
One of the most impactful parts of her experience was learning how data influences real-world decisions. Through tools like MySidewalk the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index and Community Health Assessment dashboards, she saw how evidence shapes everything from Narcan distribution to outreach priorities.
“I found it really rewarding to see how numbers and data can turn into meaningful decisions,” Sanders said. “In rural communities, resources are limited, so data helps ensure that programs reach the people who need them most.”
Her summer affirmed her interest in using data to improve population health and strengthened her commitment to serving rural communities.
Stephens: Pharmacy, Prevention, and Community Education
Stephens’ fieldwork took her to two rural organizations: a local pharmacy and the Lake Cumberland Head Start Central Office.
At the pharmacy, she focused on improving community awareness and access to naloxone. She created brochures explaining how naloxone works, where to get it, and why carrying it is an act of care, not a sign of stigma.
“I wanted people to see naloxone the same way they see an EpiPen, a life‑saving tool,” she said.
At Head Start, Stephens developed educational materials for parents on oral health, mental well‑being, and nutrition, offering practical and budget‑friendly strategies families could use at home.
These experiences reinforced her belief that pharmacists play a vital role in rural communities, often serving as the most accessible healthcare professionals.
Building Confidence while Discovering Public Health
Sanders’ academic journey was shaped by a series of experiences, including the University of Kentucky’s education abroad program for first-generation students Explore First, the Rural Health Scholars Program, and foundational courses that helped her discover her strengths. She said faculty mentors such as Sarah Cprek, PhD, , Acting Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs; Richard Ingram, DrPH, Associate Professor; Amanda Ellis, PhD, Acting Associate Dean for Graduate Programs; and Pam Stein, DMD, a professor with both the College of Public Health and the College of Dentistry played a pivotal role in guiding her toward data‑driven public health work.
As a first‑generation student, Explore First was especially meaningful for Sanders. During her three weeks in Ireland, visits to organizations like the Royal College of Surgeons, Microsoft, and Accenture expanded her understanding of what a public health career could look like.
“Seeing these different environments helped me realize that my interests in public health and data could apply in a wide range of careers,” Sanders said.
Stephens entered college as a biology major, unsure of her place in a large academic environment. However, switching to public health changed everything.
“That was the best decision I could have made,” she said. “The College of Public Health gave me a community I’m proud to be part of.”
Stephens said courses with Dr. Cprek sparked her passion for public health, while Dr. Stein deepened her understanding of rural health and how to work respectfully with people in areas with low access to resources. Her public health training now shapes how she approaches pharmacy—not just as a science but as a service rooted in community trust.
Divergent Pathways, Similar Purpose
Though Sanders and Stephens are heading in different directions after graduation, both are carrying forward the commitment to serve, to listen, and to make a meaningful difference in the communities that need it most.
After graduation, Sanders will remain in Kentucky to earn her Master of Public Health degree through the Accelerated Master’s Pathway. She hopes to work in roles involving health data, policy, or program evaluation and eventually broaden her experience beyond Kentucky.
Long term, she said she aims to build a career focused on health disparities, occupational health, and evidence‑based decision‑making.
This fall, Stephens will attend the East Tennessee State University College of Pharmacy, a program rooted in serving Appalachian and rural communities. She hopes to return to a rural area similar to her hometown to practice pharmacy and improve access to medications, education and compassionate care.
“Growing up in a rural area shaped my understanding of healthcare access barriers,” she said. “I want my work to improve access and build trust within underserved populations.”
Sanders and Stephens represent two distinct outcomes of the Rural Health Scholars Program, one rooted in data and policy, the other in pharmacy and patient care. Together, their stories show the breadth of what rural health work can look like and the power of hands‑on learning to shape a student’s future.
