Ryan Titus

The WVU SPH is a place where everyone feels at home and part of a family. Everyone is treated well and given plenty of opportunities to succeed.

What does public health mean to you?

Making the world a safer and healthier place for all.

What would you tell prospective students about WVU and the School of Public Health?

The WVU School of Public Health is a place where everyone feels at home and part of a family. Everyone is treated well and given plenty of opportunities to succeed.

Have any particular faculty members made an impact on you while at WVU?

Dr. McCawley was the one who sparked my interest in industrial hygiene. He also gave me a research opportunity before the pandemic hit.

What are some unique or interesting experiences you’ve had during your time at WVU? 

I was able to run the SAPH School of Public Health swag sale the past two years. It was fun to see my merch start as a computer design to eventually being worn by many people in the school.

You’re ending your academic journey during a unique time in our history. What has been both good and bad about studying public health during a pandemic and completing your college degree during this time?

The good has been that most people know what public health is now. When I started in the program four years ago, very few people I talked to knew what public health was. Now, many more people understand the significance of our work and that it’s a respectable career. The cons are, at least for me, everything being online. I personally hate having everything online, so learning during the pandemic has been especially difficult.

Tell us about your capstone/field placement experience – where was it, what did you do, what did you learn, what did you accomplish?

For my capstone experience, I was able to work at NIOSH on a research project that involved looking at the particulate emissions of 3D printing pharmaceuticals. It was really interesting to conduct research on a technology that is a potential game-changer for the pharmaceuticals industry while its still in its infancy. I learned a lot about air sampling and the lab work that comes along with that.

What are your plans after graduation? 

I am staying at the WVU School of Public Health to get my M.S. in Industrial Hygiene. 

What will you always remember from your time at WVU? 

The friends I made along the way! Everyone in college is basically thrown into a new lifestyle all at once, which allows you to make really tight friendships very quickly. 

What do you think is the best tradition at WVU? 

Singing country roads after a football or basketball victory. 

Why should someone choose WVU to study public health?  

West Virginia is a state facing multiple public health issues at once and needs a young, passionate public health workforce to address and overcome those issues. Even if you don’t stay to work in West Virginia, these issues can still teach you how to make a healthier future wherever you venture off to. 

What advice would you give to your freshman self?

Don’t procrastinate — it’s always better to get something over with and relieve yourself of that stress than it is to save that stress to the last minute.

Is there something people would be surprised to learn about you? 

I have a certification in rocketry, allowing me to launch high-powered rockets the general public cannot legally fly. 

What are you looking forward to most after graduation?  

Staying in Morgantown. I don’t want to leave!