Focusing on the ‘why’ leads to an award-winning thesis
Maddy Theal graduated from the School of Public Health in May 2024 with a Master of Public Health and a concentration in Epidemiology. Theal received the 2023-2024 Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award in the Life Sciences category for her thesis titled “Diabetes and Mild Cognitive Impairment among the Aging Population.” Her advisor was Chrisa Arcan, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Epidemiology.
“Who do you want to help?”
Picking a topic wasn’t easy for Theal. It took a lot of time, tossing around ideas and pitching various topics to her roommate. “At one point I had felt like I was on a crime show where I was so close to solving a case but was running out of red string,” she joked.
When Theal really started to stress, her mom asked, “Who do you want to help?” She was reminded of her dream to help people live the best life possible. She was intrigued by the bigger picture of considering both the mind and the body when dealing with a chronic disease. A key takeaway from her research, she said, is that a person’s lifestyle stays with them as they age. Every action, every habit will impact them in the future. Her advice is to “be kind to your mind, be kind to your body, and listen when your body needs you.”
Theal explains the whole process was emotional. She was passionate about the project and what she would find out, but she felt this was bigger than her. She fought feelings of self-doubt and overwhelm throughout the research, but remembered this work was about the people she could help. Winning the award from the Graduate School felt like a win for everyone impacted by chronic disease.
Rewarding internship-turned-job
Theal is now a cross-cutting epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health. During the summer between her first and second year of the MPH program, she landed an internship at VDH and then transitioned into a full-time role after graduation. She’s excited to continue to learn and grow while serving the community.
“This was honestly the best opportunity I could have only dreamed of. I was able to use what I was learning from my job to make me a better student and use what I was learning from school to make me better at my job,” Theal said.
Categories Alumni, public health research