Crystal McGlover

Quick Facts

Program: Master of Public Health
Concentration: Health Education
Graduation Year: 2017
Current Job Title: Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the City of Inglewood Office of Emergency Services
Hometown: Upland, CA
Current City: Upland, CA

Life at CBU

Why did you choose this graduate degree program? What interested you in this particular field of study?
I chose this graduate degree program because I have always had an interest in health. I believe that public health is about creating a better way of living for any person in terms of education, awareness, behaviors, or even environmental influence. Public health is also a field that is very broad, so I liked the fact that I could study health policy, health education and promotion, emergency and disaster preparedness, and even epidemiology. I realized that public health provides the skills and tools necessary to truly make a difference in individuals' lives.

What did you like about being in this program at CBU?
I had an interest in the public health program at CBU because each professor emphasized in their own way that public health is a field for people who care about the greater good of human beings. I have a passion for helping others, and in the MPH program, I felt that I could have a real and lasting positive effect on others and I can promote a healthy and safe environment.

What did you think about your professors?
The professors in CBU's MPH program were very knowledge about their specific subject matter. They were very passionate about students understanding and grasping the material. The professors were engaged with the students and had available office hours when students needed assistance.

Did you complete any field work?
Yes, I completed field work and 120 hours of practicum experience in my second year in the program. I interned at the County of Riverside Nutrition Education Obesity Prevention Program (NEOP). It was a great experience. The goal was to implement healthy changes to communities and provide nutrition and physical activity education. I traveled around Riverside County and had the opportunity to teach elementary school students about nutrition and physical activity.

How did you grow while in this program at CBU?
I grew in the program by having great organizational skills, staying focused, staying motivated, and connecting with different professors and students.

Life after CBU

What have you done since graduating?
After graduating in December 2017, I started an online doctorate of education (Ed.D.) program at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon. I am employed by the City of Inglewood Office of Emergency Services. I am the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the City. The Office of Emergency Services achieves its mission by serving the City of Inglewood through effective collaboration in preparing for, protecting against, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating the impacts of all hazards and threats in the city. 

How has your time at CBU prepared you for your life and career after grad school?
CBU has prepared me to become a better leader within my career. I have been able to apply abstract concepts such as leadership and communications to the new work that I am doing in emergency preparedness. My ability to lead and to communicate effectively have potentially life-and-death importance in my field. The ability to apply these skills in a real-life setting is amazing and extraordinary.

Is there anything you learned at CBU that you still use in your professional life today?
The MPH program has sharpened my focus on service. In emergency services, our goal is to help the community prepare for an emergency or disaster. I have gravitated to a position that’s all about service and helping others.

How are you making a difference in the world?
God is truly helping me make a difference in this world. As an emergency preparedness coordinator, my responsibility is to coordinate and maintain the city’s emergency preparedness response and recovery program. I am living my purpose by leading and helping those in the community, and continuously following the four pillars of emergency management, which are prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Individuals lives and their safety matters. Preparedness depends on you!

Would you recommend CBU to others? Why?
Yes, I would recommend CBU to other students. I attended CBU for my undergraduate and graduate degree. It was the best experience that I could have ever imagined. This school has helped shape the person that I am today. After graduating from CBU, I felt academically prepared, biblically rooted, globally minded, and equipped to serve.

Anything else you’d like to add?
This program may seem difficult at times, but “Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end” (Roy T. Bennett). Never give up, keep moving forward, follow your dreams, and live your purpose!