AmeriCorps Fellow Maryam Funmilayo Finds Her Calling in Public Health Advocacy

The journey into public health is as diverse as the field itself, and for Maryam Funmilayo, it has been a path of discovery, resilience, and impactful service. Born in the US and raised in Nigeria, Maryam was a medical student in Nigeria, before finding her passion for public health upon her return to the States. As a former Public Health AmeriCorps Community Health Worker (CHW) Fellow, Maryam has worked on the front lines of public health, addressing social determinants of health and advocating for underserved populations. This fellowship, a partnership between AmeriCorps State/National and Volunteers of America, equips individuals with the skills and experience to tackle pressing health challenges while fostering personal and professional growth. In this interview, Maryam shares how her passion for public health evolved, the opportunities she embraced to grow her career, and advice for aspiring public health professionals. Read on to discover her path to public health.

What inspired you to pursue public health in undergrad and graduate school for your master’s?

As someone with prior college experience as a medical student in Nigeria, my educational journey back to the United States was certain. I wanted to continue my medical school studies and nothing else. So, I majored in public health nutrition alongside my premed courses. A chapter about global health research in my upper-level public health nutrition course led me to discover public health. And that was it! I decided not to pursue medicine any longer, not because I found public health, but because I was a young family woman with two toddlers at that time. Public Health synced well with me back then, considering my full-time academic schedule and my motherly responsibilities. Public health was more flexible for me to pursue as a mother than attending medical school, which was my initial plan. As for graduate school, I never thought of any academic path to pursue except public health.

You also participated in many teaching and coaching experiences. Why did you decide to pursue these opportunities?

During my undergraduate studies, I was a young mother caring for 2 toddlers. By the time I started graduate school, I had 4 children already, all below the age of 10. I homeschooled, worked part-time, and taught part-time as a substitute teacher in Raleigh, North Carolina, public schools. These were all doable because I had my husband’s full support, who also partook in our children’s home education right from the beginning.

Then, you became a food and nutrition writer for the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). With degrees in public health and experience in teaching, what led you to this opportunity?

Prior to writing for IFANCA, I have been writing for our community’s newsletter (the ‘Voice’ at the Islamic Association of Raleigh, North Carolina) as well as for 3 Islamic magazines – Al Jumuah, Azizah, and SISTERS Magazine. So, I jumped at the opportunity when I came across an advertisement from IFANCA regarding their need for writers with a food/nutrition background. Writing has always been one of my outlets and a hobby dear to my heart. Writing an article on food, nutrition, health, or wellness brings serenity to my soul.

Then on, you were a Scientific Literacy Research Fellow. Can you tell us about your experience?

This research fellow opportunity was found on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is my number 1 ‘go to’ social platform when it comes to looking for a professional job that aligns with your skillset. This is one of the jobs I am very proud of because I did not allow the impostor syndrome to get in my way. I applied as a professional even though they were interested in current undergraduate and graduate students. I had the research experiences they sought and decided to give it a shot. And the rest is history.

Also, as a Scientific Literacy Research Fellow, I assisted with qualitative research through focus group interviews for undergraduate HBCU students as well as transcription and coding. This 4-month position was fully remote!

Now you are a Public Health AmeriCorps CHW fellow! How was your time as a Fellow?

I came across this opportunity through Indeed.com. After submitting hundreds of job applications without getting any positive answers, I came across a potential break. The Volunteers of America in Dallas, Texas, urgently needed to hire community health workers (CHWs) through their partnership with AmeriCorps. I applied in September 2023, got interviewed the same month, and was hired the following month. It all happened very fast, after many rejections since June 2023.

Working as a Public Health AmeriCorps CHW exposed me to various social health determinants affecting our elderly population. As someone fully vested in women’s health, maternal/child health, and global health, I had zero knowledge about elderly health before working as a CHW. I was in the community on behalf of the Volunteers of America, a collaborative partner with AmeriCorps. I conducted health education outreach and connected community members, specifically the elderly population in downtown Dallas, with medical, dental, vision, mental health services, and social resources such as food, transportation, housing, legal issues, etc.

Even though it was a one-year national service, I gained interpersonal skills and learned more about informal coaching and how to advocate for my elderly clients. As a CHW who is also a frontline public health professional, examining and researching the social determinants of health is one of my primary responsibilities.

Now, as an AmeriCorps VISTA member working with a nonprofit higher education organization, Campus Compact, my roles center around research, outreach, and capacity building. I also help build toolkits and resources for college and university students, professional staff, and community organization representatives. The overarching goal is to support college access, student success, and career readiness, while fighting poverty.

My future goal is to pursue a doctoral degree in Public Health, either in global health or maternal health.

Finally, can you share any advice for our readers?

Anyone interested in venturing into public health should check out AmeriCorps State/National and AmeriCorps VISTA. The experiences and insights you gain daily during your service will be priceless. As an entry-level public health professional, it is a great way to get your feet in the door. And, if you are a young mother who wants to return to school or work part-time or full-time in public health, AmeriCorps is a great way to start because of their educational awards at the end of your service. You can also choose to serve more than once, depending on what you want to achieve.

Interested in more public health fellowships? Be sure to check out the database for similar programs by creating a free ProFellow account!

Maryam Funmilayo, MPH, MA, CHW, is a public health professional whose areas of expertise range from community health and community-based participatory research to qualitative research, ethnography, food literacy, global health, health disparities, health education, health promotion, nutrition, and women’s health (specifically breast cancer, fibroids, high blood pressure, and mental health). She works as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Campus Compact’s Community Service Federal Work Study Program. Maryam has a Master of Public Health degree from Lamar University, a Master of Arts in Health Education and Promotion from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition from Kansas State University.

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