Alumni Spotlight: Brenna Kirk

Name: Brenna Kirk

Graduation Year: 2015 (and 2016 for MPH)

Major (minor if applicable): Biochemistry and Chemistry double major

Graduate Degree: Master of Public Health from ECU Brody School of Medicine

What is one of your favorite memories from ECU?

It’s so hard to choose just one! Of course, you can’t forget about the many memories made while cheering on the Pirates with friends at Dowdy-Ficklen, Minges, and Clark-LeClair, but also some of my best memories were made on Honors College and EC Scholars trips. Whether it was exploring the Pentagon and seeing the monuments and cherry blossoms (guided by none other than Kevin Baxter, of course) in Washington, DC, volunteering at a book sale and later taking a ghost walk in Charleston, SC, or even harnessing our inner Pirate by setting sail out on the Jeanie B. Schooner in Beaufort, NC, experiencing these things with my fellow Honors College and EC Scholar cohorts were incredible and were the sources of many memories and friendships that I will treasure forever.

What did you do in the year immediately after graduating?

A few months after graduating in 2015, I got married (to Matt Kirk who is also an ECU graduate) and then immediately became an ECU student again by starting the Master of Public Health Program at ECU Brody School of Medicine. During that first year in my graduate program, I was able to learn so much more about the field of public health and discovered my specific interests in community-based and patient-engaged research regarding chronic disease prevention.

What is your current job (or degree program if still in school)?

I am currently a PhD Student at West Virginia University School of Public Health. As a graduate student, I also serve as a teaching assistant for various public health courses and am a Project Coordinator for the West Virginia Diabetes Collaborative, a statewide network of researchers, clinicians, caregivers, and patient partners with a common purpose of improving patient-centered diabetes prevention and care in West Virginia.

Provide a brief summary of your career since graduation.

Since graduating, I have continued to learn and gain experience in both biomedical and community-engaged research. After graduating in 2015, I started the MPH program at ECU and completed an internship at the Pitt County Health Department’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program. After graduating again in the Fall of 2016, I worked as a lab manager at Brody School of Medicine, where I was involved in conducting research and training students (my favorite!), including several Honors College students, in Dr. Karen Litwa’s lab. During this time as a lab manager, I was also able to complete a graduate certificate in Gerontology and stay connected and involved with the Honors College and EC Scholars Program as an alumna! In 2019, I moved to Morgantown, WV to start my doctoral program at West Virginia University, but I have been so thankful to stay connected in various ways to my alma mater. The mountains of West Virginia are lovely, but Greenville and ECU will always be home to me!

How did your Honors College experience contribute to your success?

I can confidently say that I would not have found my professional calling if it weren’t for the Honors College. As a biochemistry and chemistry student in the Honors College, I was able to take seminars on various topics outside of my majors, including one offered by Dr. Daniel Goldberg entitled “Social Determinants of Global Health.” This class opened my eyes to the field of public health and ultimately inspired me to pursue a path as public health researcher. During my remaining years as an Honors College student, I was able to explore these interests further and even had the chance to get involved in community-engaged research which have set me up tremendously for each step to where I am now. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, the Honors College provided me with a community and system of constant inspiration and support that pushed me forward every day as a student and still even now, 6 year post-graduation.

What advice do you have for current students?

Take advantage of every opportunity the Honors College provides to explore and discover what interests you. Use the time you have in this program and at ECU to take risks and explore paths that take you out of your comfort zone, past even your own expectations and be sure to bring up others with you and along the way.

Did you study abroad in college? If so, where and what did you like most about the experience?

I studied abroad in Certaldo Alto, Italy, a medieval town located between Siena and Florence in the heart of Tuscany. Through the ECU Italy Intensives Program, I was able to study abroad for the entire Spring semester of 2014 and this experience was nothing short of a dream come true! For a girl who had always enjoyed tapping into her creative side now and again through her hobbies, having the opportunity to experience the beautiful scenes, art, and culture in the birthplace of the Renaissance was incredible. As a student majoring in the sciences, the study abroad program allowed me the chance to take a break from the lab and take some of my general credits in world history, art history, Italian language, and even try my hand at jewelry design! What better way to learn about art and history than regularly visiting the Uffizi in Florence or taking a stroll through Pompeii or the Roman Forum? I will certainly treasure the memories I have from that experience forever and I hope to get the opportunity someday soon to go back and take my family.

Do you have any social media handles that you want us to tag?

You can connect with Brenna on:
Twitter: @Brenna_Kirk22
Instagram: @brenkirk22
Facebook: Brenna (Owens) Kirk
LinkedIn: Brenna Kirk