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When Brianna Lewis was a little girl growing up in Fort Worth, she was always curious.

“I always wanted to know ‘why,’” she said. “Whatever I wanted to know, I would just research it.”

It is a trait that has continued serving her well as she earns a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Now set to graduate May 21 from UNTHSC, Lewis is driven to make a difference in the world through data analysis of community-based research.

“Research is the backbone of a lot of things we do and the justification for it,” Lewis said. “I just want to make a difference.”

Although Lewis, 27, has always been curious, she originally thought she would take a different career path that would involve animals. She grew up raising livestock, competing in stock shows and volunteering at veterinary clinics.

She knew that going to college was important, but she didn’t have anyone in her family to look to for guidance about getting a degree. Lewis’ mother never went to college, and her father left college after two years to help take care of his grandmother, who had dementia. Lewis, who also has two older brothers, decided she wanted to be the first in her family to earn a college degree. A diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome in 2020 and her father’s diagnosis in 2022 with Stage 4 kidney disease made it tough sometimes, but she has never regretted her decision.

“It was challenging to balance being there for my family and friends, figuring out my career path, finding myself and seeking financial stability,” Lewis said. “I wanted to break away from something where I knew I would just be surviving and do something that I was passionate about.”

When she started her higher education journey at Tarrant County College, she thought she wanted to become a research veterinarian focusing on comparative research. It was during this time that she developed a motto for herself that she still uses. She refers to it as the Triple G’s − “Grow in every way, grind daily, then you will glow for eternity.”

“This just reminds me to put my best foot forward and be the light in the world,” Lewis said.

After her time at Tarrant County College, she went to Prairie View A&M, and in December 2021, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with a concentration in animal sciences. Lewis then decided to take a year off to work as a veterinary research representative intern and then a parasitology aide at a veterinary diagnostics company in Irving.

Her family’s health challenges led Lewis to consider shifting her focus to analyzing human data and combatting chronic diseases, and an alumna of the Master of Public Health program at UNTHSC encouraged her to apply to the university. She started her master’s degree in fall 2023 and has not looked back.

In addition to holding a part-time job at the UNTHSC Founders’ Activity Center, she works as a public health intern for Baylor Scott & White Health, contributing to community-centered research through a physical activity observation project within the Bonton community in South Dallas. She is proud of the interactive dashboard she developed during her internship to share cardiovascular health study findings directly with the research participants.

“I have had such an amazing experience in the Bonton community,” Lewis said. “I’ve always wanted to be able to tell people’s stories in a way that adequately represents them through data. This internship has allowed me to learn more about doing that.”

She also stays busy as a mentor in UNTHSC’s First Year Experience Mentoring Program and recently won the university’s Outstanding Mentor Award. She has mentored two international students from India who are in their first year of the Master of Public Health program. She is there to help answer financial, academic and personal questions so that they can  be successful in the program.

Malinee Neelamegam, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the UNTHSC College of Public Health, has mentored Lewis for the past two years since she took her “Principles of Epidemiology” course. She loves that Lewis now takes the time to mentor other students and was recognized.

“She initially was a little uncertain about things, but I’ve seen her grow, and she has great leadership skills,” Neelamegam said. “I’m so excited to see what she’s going to do in the future. She will excel in anything she sets her mind to.”

Lewis also serves at UNTHSC as the vice president of the Public Health Student Government Association and the event planner for the Public Health Minority Association. These outlets allow students to have fun and participate in community service activities when they aren’t studying.

With UNTHSC’s commencement ceremony just around the corner, Lewis is applying for jobs and getting ready to enjoy her friends and family as they come together to celebrate her success. Lewis’ mom always told her to do her best and things would work out.

“She really was right,” Lewis said. “This degree just feels like a milestone for sure and something worth celebrating.”

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