First Generation Story: Meet Professor Sarah Andrea
Meet Professor Sarah Andrea. Her story is not just one of academic achievement, but also a reflection of the impact that supportive individuals in positions of power can have in helping someone overcome systemic obstacles. As the youngest of six children, Professor Andrea is the first and only in her family to earn a four-year college degree let alone a PhD, a journey made possible not by solitary perseverance, but by those who leveraged their influence to guide and support her. While her working class family was out of their depth, they provided a strong loving foundation, and she later benefited from mentors who recognized her potential and offered her opportunities she could not have accessed alone.
Mentorship & Support
While her path to higher education was marked by challenges—juggling multiple jobs, financial strains, and learning to navigate her anxiety and neurodivergence—Professor Andrea’s story is not one of “pulling herself up by her bootstraps.” Instead, she stands as a testament to the importance of mentorship and support. Her first mentor, Dr. Kimberle Chapin, opened doors to the world of research, transforming her trajectory. Through opportunities such as flying on a plane for the first time to present at a national conference and serving as the lead author for peer-reviewed papers, Professor Andrea found her place in academia with the backing of mentors who believed in her long before her accomplishments spoke for themselves.
Work That Exemplifies The Heart of Public Health
Professor Andrea’s research reflects not just data and science but also the heart of community service and a deep understanding of political influence and social determinants of health. Her dissertation on the health consequences for workers relying on earnings from tips as well as her ongoing work on precarious employment both draw directly from her lived experience coupled with her compassionate insight into societal structures. As her career flourishes, her commitment to public health deepens. Today, Professor Andrea’s ongoing work, including a grant proposal inspired by her current caregiving for her mother, continually extends her impact on addressing health inequities. As a graduate program director and educator, she also is engaged in efforts to address structural barriers students in marginalized positions face in academia. In advising fellow first-generation students, Professor Andrea underscores the critical importance of seeking support and disregarding the internal voices of doubt: “We ALL need people who believe in us. You belong here—we need you!”
Professor Andrea’s work exemplifies the heart of public health: to advocate for those in marginalized positions and foster an inclusive environment where everyone is worthy of opportunity and support. Her journey underscores the collective responsibility to uplift others and the belief that all young people deserve champions in their lives, be it family, mentors, or community advocates. “We need people with a diversity of lived experiences in the public health space, asking the questions informed by their lived experiences. Only then will we get the right answers”