Alumni

Emma Willoughby

  • Class

    Class of 2013
  • Program

    B.A. in Sociology and Liberal Studies ('13) ( College of Liberal Arts )
  • Hometown

    Ocean Springs, MS (South)
  • Social Media

  • Quick Intro

    Emma Willoughby is a Ph.D. candidate in political science and health policy at the University of Michigan.

Alum Spotlight

Emma Willoughby earned the B.A. in Sociology with minors in Anthropology, Psychology, and Biology in 2014. She then earned the Master of Science in International Health Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2015. Before starting the doctoral program in Health Policy and Political Science at the University of Michigan, Emma was a Program Administrator at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, a Social Studies Teacher in Korea, and a Data Coordinator with the International Baccalaureate program.

Why did you choose to study sociology?

"Entering university I was interested in medical school. But my science courses lacked world context. I began to ask questions like, 'Why do people get sick in the first place?' The book Mountains Beyond Mountains got me thinking more about public health systems, policy, and politics. I thought sociology might help me better understand how economics, gender, race, geography, and political systems affect health outcomes and health inequalities."

What were some of Emma's significant experiences at UM?

Willoughby was a member of several honor societies including Phi Kappa Phi, a photographer for theatre productions, an opinion writer for the Daily Mississippian newspaper, tutor with the Writing Center, psychology teaching assistant, researcher with the Center for Population Studies, and founding member of the Food Bank on campus. She participated in a bioethics fellowship at the UM Medical Center to better understand the health care system. She then conducted ethnographic research examining health networks at a community health center in Clarksdale for her honors thesis.

 

What did you do after graduation from UM?

After graduation Willoughby attended the London School of Economics for a masters in international health policy, then worked with former UM Chancellor Dr. Dan Jones in the Center for Obesity Research at the UM Medical Center. Her research on the overlap of nutrition policy, trade policy, development, gender and race fuels her current interest in rising obesity trends.

After teaching and traveling in Asia, Willoughby is pursuing a Ph.D. in political science and health policy at the University of Michigan. She has a special interest in political economy, qualitative methods, and food security in Vietnam.

Why study sociology at UM?

"The department fosters interdisciplinary research that is necessary to answer complex social questions. Also, Mississippi offers a wonderful context for thinking about social problems. It can feel like you're on the forefront of fresh change. Mississippi has lessons to share and stories to tell that can really make an impact in development and social change."