I find that BSU cultivates a community where it feels like the professors want to help you advance in your career. The community pushes you to want to do more and give back more.
As an executive/project assistant for the Boston Public Health Commission, Awo Y. Musa, ’24, uses data to uncover trends and drive policy decisions about numerous behavioral health topics. It is important work that is similar to a project she completed as a Bridgewater State student.
As an undergraduate, Musa shared her interest in data analysis with Dr. Jim Leone, a professor of health and kinesiology. Leone offered her the opportunity to contribute to a study about males who face homelessness.
“I find that BSU cultivates a community where it feels like the professors want to help you advance in your career,” said Musa, who majored in public health. “The community pushes you to want to do more and give back more.”
Under Leone’s mentorship, Musa focused on data analysis, setting the stage for Ayden Chaires, ’26, to develop practical policy recommendations. The project is especially important given that 70 percent of homeless individuals are males, Leone said.
Last fall, the trio traveled to Washington, D.C., to present their research at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting. While addressing an international audience, they shared a profile of a U.S. male experiencing homelessness. The profile covered factors such as geography, age, race and the presence of severe mental health issues. They also proposed policy solutions including increasing affordable housing, decreasing stigmas around homelessness prevention programs, and enhancing resources for people who are released from jail.
Undergraduates rarely present at this conference, which is the largest of its kind in the country, Leone said.
“It’s daunting, but they just arrived ready to get their feet on the ground and made it so enriching for everybody,” he said, adding that he was impressed with their inquisitiveness and professionalism.
In addition to presenting, Musa and Ayden gained new perspectives and insights from other speakers.
“BSU offers these great opportunities to go to these events and expand your horizons,” said Ayden, a health sciences major with a concentration in pre-physical therapy. “It has all been a great experience. I couldn’t be more thankful for being part of it and for Bridgewater to be there and support it.”
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