Adriana Jovanov

Quick Facts

Program: Master of Public Health
Graduation Year: 2022
Current Job Title: Program Manager, Hospital Partnerships / OneLegacy
Hometown: Riverside, CA
Current City: Murrieta, CA

Life at CBU

Why did you choose this graduate degree program? What interested you in this particular field of study?
I chose the program and field because of my time as an undergrad at CBU. I transferred to CBU in 2017 as a pre-nursing major with a minor in anthropology. However, during my time as an undergrad, I found a different calling within anthropology, focusing on the medical aspects of health and social determinants that impact and shape our world when it comes to the medical paradigm. I then changed my major to anthropology and applied to the MPH program at CBU.

What did you like about being in this program at CBU?
I loved the community aspect that the program emphasized on. The MPH program prepared us for what life would look like as a public health care professional in not only an administrative role but also as a community partner. The program allowed me to explore all my options within the realm of public health but also to take my knowledge of anthropology and apply it to the field as well.

What did you think about your professors?
My professors always went above and beyond to make sure that we all excelled in our studies and in our professions. We were able to establish great rapport with our professors and express our dreams and endeavors with them without fear of being rejected.

Did you complete any field work?
During my thesis I did do field work. I gathered first-party data utilizing qualitative analysis. It was such a great experience to be able to bring everything I learned from my time during undergrad and grad school full circle and analyze it for my thesis.

Did you participate in anything else at CBU? 
I was vice president of the public health club from 2018 to 2020 where we successfully held a week-long event for public health week (first week of April). We also had an event where we gathered items to fill in a backpack and give to kids in need at a local foster care in Riverside, CA.

How did you grow while in this program at CBU?
While attending CBU, I was struggling a lot with my faith and I had family members who were terminally ill. It was because of all the support that I was given from professors and students at CBU that I was able to thrive not only in my program but in my personal life as well. My time at CBU grounded me in all aspects.

Did your program help you figure out your purpose? 
The program absolutely helped me figure out my purpose. When I graduated with my degree in anthropology I really took all the knowledge I attained from it and applied it to everything I learned in my MPH program. I found my true passion for people, community, engagement, health and well being, but I also found how I can bring my passion to those around me. I learned how to navigate people in a way that is warm, welcoming, forgiving and provides all that I can to those in need. I truly found that my purpose is to give back in the way that the Lord has given me with so many blessings and opportunities throughout my life.

Life after CBU

What have you done since graduating?
Since I have graduated, I have attained a job at an organ procurement organization where I am the program manager of hospital partnership. I educate nursing staff and communities about organ, eye and tissue donation. In addition, my thesis is under review for a journal for publishing. And I have put together a local community health fair in Riverside, CA.

What are your current job duties?
Education, research and community outreach

How has your time at CBU prepared you for your life and career after grad school?
CBU has prepared me in many ways. It has taught me the values of communication, empathy and having a solid foundation to rely on.

Is there anything you learned at CBU that you still use in your professional life today?
God always has a plan for me. Even when being rejected, I trust that God has a plan for me and where I am is right where I need to be.

How are you making a difference in the world?
I am making a difference by sharing my passion with the community and those around me. I am living my purpose by also providing opportunities for others to seek out their passion in life through community engagement and education.

What are your future goals and plans? 
As of right now I am focused on doing more for my community and within my career. I am looking into enrolling in a doctoral program to eventually become a professor and teach all that I have learned to others in the hopes of inspiring them to find their purpose.

Would you recommend CBU to others?
Yes, I have many times. Reason being is that the education I received is holistic. It does not come with any sort of bias but instead creates an empathetic and wholesome view of the world around us.