Biochemistry major inspired to have a career in public health
Just ask Lindsay Trujillo, a Fall Class of 2014 magna cum laude graduate of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences, what she plans to do next.
Lindsay Trujillo
She’ll provide that insight to fellow graduates on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the 10 a.m. commencement ceremony at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, where she has been chosen to speak on behalf of the class as a student responder.
“My life changed after I chose to attend UA, because for the first time I was made to feel part of a community,” swoons Trujillo, a New Jersey native and Penn State University transfer.
She feels honored to call Akron her home, where she felt embraced by professors, students, neighborhood residents and civic leaders.
Making a difference
“My experience here has inspired me to have a career in epidemiology and public health,” she explains. “I want to understand the effects of incidents on a community, not just on an individual. Having access to everyone is what’s important to me, and I can do that with a profession in public health.”
Earning a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Trujillo’s focus is on reproductive health. During a UA internship at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Reproductive Medicine, she presented her individual research on sexually transmitted diseases and their impact on male infertility to a panel of medical physicians and scientists. During her time at UA, Trujillo participated in panels, along with professors and activists, regarding gendered violence and intersectional issues.
Campus involvement benefits many
Under her leadership, the gender equality group Liberation in Progress raised funds for the Battered Women’s Shelter for Summit and Medina counties and worked with the Summit Country Public Health to distribute contraception to students. Most recently Trujillo served as director of communication for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Union (LGBTU) and as media manager for the Hispanic Organization Leading Akron (HOLA). This involvement led her to the belief system that guides her: “Knowledge is a weapon – it has power,” she declares. “Knowledge matters. It changes lives.”
In talking with her, one learns quickly that for Trujillo, UA has uniquely shaped the direction of her life, both professionally and personally. She knows she can be a role model to women in science, Latinas or the LBGT community — inspiring these members of her community to work hard and follow their dreams.
Spread the word, Lindsay Trujillo, spread the word.
Media contact: Lisa Craig, 330-972-7429 or lcm91@uakron.edu.