ALUMNI PROFILES
Manju Lal MPH (Graduated in May 2007)
Sales Representative for a Biotech Company in Southern California
My name is Manju Lal. Currently, I am a sales representative for a Biotech Company in Southern California. I have been in the pharmaceutical industry since 1998. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Loyola Marymount University with the initial intent of becoming a physician. Plans changed; however, as I realized I was extremely outgoing. So, with my father’s encouragement, I entered the pharmaceutical realm combining the science that runs through my blood with sales.
I was raised in the company of very intelligent people with advanced degrees. So, it is not surprising that I began to crave being back in school. Education is humbling. It teaches me that I will never know everything, and I will forever be evolving as I continue to gain more knowledge. Getting a Masters in Public Health seemed like the perfect choice for me as its focus lies on preventive health. In my career, having an advanced degree is not required, but it is helpful as it enables me to differentiate myself from my peers as part of my personal and career development.
Being that I work full time, the MPH program at UMASS Amherst provided a marvelous option. The program was rigorous but very stimulating. I had exposure to people across the world with backgrounds and experiences so vastly different than mine, yet somehow, all of our experiences positively contributed to the assignments and projects in these courses. Unlike other MPH programs, the students enrolled were extremely helpful not competitive. I think the success of this program lies in the belief that everyone seemed to have which is that
we can all learn from each other and that our differences complement each other. I came to realize this in my first course, COMM HLTH 601, with Dr. Dan Gerber. I can still remember the first “threaded discussion” in which we were asked to share a little bit about ourselves. I remember people shared very personal experiences with the class. There was immediate trust in that “threaded discussion”. It was at this moment, I knew I had made the right decision in choosing this school. Additionally throughout the program, I found the professors to be readily available, accommodating, and helpful. MaryBeth Lizek, the academic advisor of the program, is truly an asset to the program. Her knowledge is vast and her advice is golden. I believe I called her prior to every semester beginning to determine which 2 classes I should take together. And, she patiently and willingly helped me make the proper decisions. I graduated from UMASS Amherst with my MPH in May, 2007. Although the information I learned is not directly applicable to my career at this point, the knowledge and experiences I gained by interacting with other highly intelligent people does directly help me in my career development and leadership abilities.
Finally, I must say it was both an honor and a privilege to be part of the online MPH program. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is in pursuit of gaining broad based knowledge in the Public Health field. Needless to say, my positive experience with UMASS Amherst has led me to apply to George Washington University Healthcare MBA program where I begin my MBA in September 2009. It is my aspiration to hold a position in management in the near future at my company. But my education will not stop there. Once the school develops a DrPH online in Public Health, I will be back a third time.
