Keely Kriho of LaGrange Park, IL graduated from UNC in 2019 with degrees in American Studies (with a concentration in American Indian and Indigenous Studies) and Health Policy and Management from the Gillings School of Global Public Health.
During her gap year, Keely shadowed a doctor in a children’s hospital in Cape Town, conducted research on burn wounds, and traveled with a mobile clinic run by South African medical students. She expanded her views on medicine beyond pure science which influenced her desire to study Public Health at Carolina.
“After my gap year abroad, I was inspired to focus on the U.S.! Particularly Native North America, specifically Native Nations in the United States, but took a couple of classes that had a wider focus on indigenous peoples in North American and globally. I also developed an interest in our health insurance and healthcare delivery systems, to compare and contrast with the way the healthcare systems worked in the countries I traveled to.”
During her time at UNC, Keely was heavily involved at the Community Empowerment Fund where over the years she held various roles as an Advocate, Member Intros Specialist, Pod Leader, Community Engagement Coordinator, and Civic Engagement Coordinator. She was also a co-director and certified application counselor for the Student Health Action Coalition. In addition, Keely was a part of Phi Beta Kappa and Buckley Public Service Scholars and received the Francine and Harry Weinberg Award and the Ahdieh Family Scholarship in Health Policy and Management.
Keely is currently working at CEF as a Special Projects Coordinator, and after this 7 month period, she is hoping to continue working at CEF part-time remotely and study Spanish via classes and immersion in Oaxaca, Mexico for several months.