Problems to Possibilities

My name is Barbara Augustino, and I was born in Khartoum, Sudan, which is in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a senior at North Dakota State University, my areas of study include public health, family science, and human development. My long-term objective is to work as an infectious disease physician, and my short-term goal is to become a marriage and family therapist. I am on the North Dakota Department of Health Advisory Board and have a number of leadership positions on campus. My group’s project, “Medical Education in Eastern Equatorial South Sudan,” which I worked on as part of the Map The System project in 2023, took second place regionally. 

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, skydiving, exercising, meeting people, reading health publications, and writing about various themes. I am an optimist, a firm believer in health innovation as a critical component in tackling some of the population’s healthcare issues. We can improve patient care, shift from sick care to addressing lifestyle to improve quality of life, increase population health, advance healthcare coordination, services, and lower costs through innovation.  I am looking forward to making a significant influence on population health.

I am a third-year student at NDSU majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology on the pre-med route. On campus, I am proudly involved in Kappa Delta Sorority and currently hold the Vice President position.

Valentina Asiedu is a final year Master of Public Health International graduate student at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and intern (Graduate Research Assistant) at the Community Engagement Unit of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. She has been in this role for the past 2 years and 8 months and has been involved in federally funded evidence-based practices focused on improving Maternal and Child Health such as working with community-based organizations in the state in health education and promotion to increase preventative health visits amongst socially/economically marginalized women of reproductive age through the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant. She has also been involved in efforts to advance health equity such as being involved in the development of the 9-module health equity training series that is focused on healthcare professionals and public health professionals, amongst other projects.

I grew up in West Fargo and have stuck around to study Nutrition Science at NDSU! I’m passionate about health and wellness, specifically the impact of a community on physical and mental well-being. I look forward to working creatively and collaboratively to solve big problems in the world!

I’m a senior at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, where I currently study economics and finance. One of the things I’ve come to appreciate from my economics education is the ability it gives me to break down problems into their core components and solve them from the ground up. I’m currently putting these strengths into action as the leader of MSUM’s team in Problems to Possibilities – a program dedicated to addressing and solving social inequities.

Azahna Luschen is a freshman at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. She is a Political Science major with a concentration in International Relations. Azahna plays softball at Carthage, and is involved in the honors program, ENACTUS and CURE. She graduated from Oak Grove Lutheran School, and in summer 2023 participated in an internship at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley in coordination with the Barry Foundation. Some things that bring her joy include lake days, hiking, new coffee shops and quality time with friends and family.

My name is Macy Stender and I am a nursing student at NDSU with a minor in psychology and entrepreneurship. I am a very adventurous person inside of school as well as out and love meeting and collaborating with people. I am currently on the leadership team for a kids camp specifically for kids with family-induced trauma called Royal Family Kids Camp and have worked on ideating and initiating social change projects. Participating in P2P has been such a great experience to collaborate with like-minded individuals who also want to dig into social problems and develop a change.

My name is Lemlem Asaye, and I am a Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering at NDSU, hailing from Ethiopia. Being a recipient of the NDSU P2P Fellowship is a remarkable opportunity for me. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of contributing to the program’s success and expanding my horizons.

Ellia Dalzell is a recent graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business with concentrations in Healthcare Leadership and Healthcare Financial Management. She worked at Family Healthcare in Fargo, ND as an administrative intern, financial management intern, and accounting assistant. Ellia also has a variety of health related project and research experience, including being part of the Innovation Scholars Program through the Mayo Clinic and working on three different Map The Systems projects focusing on renewable energy, equitable LGBTQ+ healthcare, and gender-affirming care. In the Fall of 2023, Ellia began her Master of Healthcare Administration degree at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. There, she works as a graduate assistant and serves in several extracurricular leadership roles. In her spare time, Ellia enjoys biking, traveling, cooking, creating art, and spending time with friends and family!

Kailey is majoring in Business Admin, Management, and Economics, with a minor in Entrepreneurship in her undergrad. She is also in the master’s program for Agribusiness and Applied Economics. Kailey hopes to pursue law school after getting her master’s degree. Her long-term goal is to have her own law firm, deeply rooted in the community, devoted to helping solve local issues and bettering the community she is a part of. Her reason for joining the P2P program was to practice real-life problem-solving for her future ambitions.