Seneca Senior High School
Seneca, SC
BS Public Health and BA Spanish 

My UofSC volunteer, internship, and research experiences made me eager to enter the public health workforce to work toward health equity in the US and abroad. 

Impactful experience: 
During my time at Carolina I volunteered with hospice patients in the community, where I was able to learn about health, life, and friendships that transcend generational differences.  

Enjoy most as a TS: 
The Top Scholar community is such a welcoming and encouraging group of peers, and I am grateful to have been able to rely on them during my time at UofSC. Top Scholars gave me my first college friends, a wealth of advice and support, and a network of well-accomplished, driven, amazing people to carry me through these last four years.  

Story: 
During Summer 2018, I was able to participate in both a study abroad program and a UK Summer Fulbright fellowship that allowed me to travel throughout Spain and the UK for two months. My first international travel experience gave me the confidence to pursue an international career in the future. Whether I was exploring a mosque that I had learned about in art history, discussing the Franco dictatorship with my host mother who lived through it, or mastering the London Underground, I gained invaluable skills and self-reliance that I will no doubt retain for life. Because of these experiences, I feel assured that I can work with international populations with ease, and I look forward to the opportunity to do so in the future.  

Post-graduate plans: Eliana will begin work for the Centers for Disease Control in Philadelphia in STD Prevention. 

Career goals/professional aspirations: 
Eliana is dedicated to increasing access to quality health care services and health education to promote healthy futures, particularly for rural, indigenous, or underprivileged communities. She thinks the best route by which to achieve her goal is advocating for policy changes that eliminate barriers to care for vulnerable populations and encourage more inclusive health practices.