From a 4-year-old’s curiosity to national advocate: VCU student named This Is Public Health Ambassador
An early call to public health
At about four years old, traveling with her father from her home country of Cameroon to Ivory Coast, Farnese Motto noticed several differences right away. There was no litter on the ground and the air seemed cleaner. Traffic was quieter and the roads were in good condition. These differences in the environment were stark, even for someone so young. She asked her father why it was different. What if they could bring their home from Yaoundé, Cameroon to Abidjan, Ivory Coast? Perhaps what she saw back home could even make her community sick. Her father could see her curiosity growing. She began to wonder, “what can we do about this?”
Because of her limited vocabulary at the time, Motto decided she would become a doctor to fix these issues in her home country. Later she learned about social drivers of health, structural barriers and how to identify issues that impact people’s health at a larger scale. By the time she was in undergrad she had the words for her life’s purpose: public health.
Today, Motto is a Ph.D. student studying social and behavioral sciences at VCU—and her lifelong passion has earned her national recognition. She was recently accepted into the This Is Public Health (TIPH) Ambassador program for the academic year 2026-27.
The program is run by the Association for School and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH) and helps raise awareness about public health education and careers through virtual events, TIPH social media takeovers, projects, and presentations. Students are nominated by their institutions and agree to serve for one year.
Motto sees this ambassadorship as an opportunity to represent a newly established school, and collaborate with other programs and schools across the country.
“It means a great deal, considering the climate today,” Motto said of this unique opportunity. “I’ll get to absorb, learn and improve my communication skills to better advocate for good public health science and be a representative for people who look like me.”
Finding a home at VCU
After graduating from Penn State and then completing her masters of public health at Johns Hopkins University, VCU was her top pick to pursue a Ph.D. Motto was specifically looking for programs that conduct community engaged research, and the doctoral program in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences stood out.
“It was close to urban areas and other organizations to work with. I’d have direct access to community partners,” Motto said of the program. She researched the professors to see if they were doing what she called “real community work, not just performance.” She felt a connection and authenticity in her interview and knew this was the right place to continue her education.
When she started this program she didn’t see herself in academia, but wanted to do program evaluation for community organizations and health agencies. Now she recognizes her path was not linear, and she sees more possibilities.
“I see myself as a bridge between academia and practice. This program showed me the possibilities in academia, like a postdoctoral program in maternal health research and eventually associate professor,” Motto explained of her plans post-graduation. No matter what, she wants to stay connected to the community, partnering with NGOs and local organizations.
A legacy of leadership
Serving as a TIPH Ambassador is helping her explore these possibilities and connections between practice and academia. It’s also a great fit for a student who is highly engaged in the school and is looking to connect more students to public health and their communities.
“I nominated Farnese because she is a natural leader and an excellent representative of our School,” said Katherine Peterman, M.P.H., M.Ed., education administrator for the M.P.H. program at VCU School of Public Health. “Not only is she committed to her own doctoral studies, she has a strong ability to connect with students across education programs and degree levels and build relationships within the school community. She is highly engaged, approachable, and genuinely invested in supporting her peers and contributing to the school.”
Motto first learned of the program through two of VCU Public Health’s previous ambassadors: Emily Edwards, M.P.H. (M.P.H.’25) served in 2024-25, and Jocelyn Espinoza, M.P.H., (M.P.H.’26) served as an ambassador during the 2025-26 school year. Edwards, Espinoza and Motto all served on the Public Health Student Association (PHSA) board and already shared a passion for communicating and advocating around public health initiatives and research.
“[Emily and Jocelyn] both had a great experience, so that sparked my interest in it,” said Motto. “But it didn’t come to fruition until Katherine asked to nominate me. She saw I was a passionate person, especially about public health. It was an extension of what I already do; this is on a bigger scale.”
Advice for fellow students
As she takes on this role with TIPH, Motto shares some wisdom for getting involved and finding resources outside the classroom.
“Even if you don’t know where to start, don’t be afraid to reach out to people. LinkedIn is a great space to look for mentors or internships. You can look up the workplace or email and connect. You never know!”
Motto also highlights the value of being a student and making the most of the opportunity to learn.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes, as students, we feel shy to show we don’t know what we’re doing or that we need directions. But oftentimes the beauty of being in school is professors want to help. Ten times out of ten they can help or point you to the person who can. Don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability. While we’re here, soak it up!”
Categories Global Health, News, Student success