Autumn Reynolds

2024 Gilman Scholar

Hometown

Michigan City, IN

Major

Public Health

College

College of Science, John Martinson Honors College

 

Autumn Reynolds was awarded the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in the Dominican Republic. The Public Health and Healthcare in the Dominican Republic program led by one of her professors was a perfect match for this public health major. The opportunity to observe another country’s public health infrastructure and interact with their medical professionals was too good to pass up. Furthermore, she will get to practice her Spanish since Spanish is the Dominican Republic’s official language.

Autumn serves as a student diversity officer in the John Martinson Honors College, bringing her commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion experience to students. Her efforts led to her role on the DEI Undergraduate Committee for the College of Health and Human Sciences. Her dedication includes promoting global and cultural awareness which leads her to seek the opportunity to expand her awareness of issues faced by other communities. The study abroad offers the chance to immerse herself in Latinx culture beyond pop culture and gain a greater awareness of their practices.

When she returns to the U.S., Autumn will host an event with both the Black Cultural Center and Latinx Cultural Center on campus as her follow-on project. At the event, she will share what she learned in the Dominican Republic about comparative public healthcare, the value of intersectionality, and the benefits of study abroad and Gilman.