As a top-tier public research institution located in the heart of Detroit, Wayne State University faculty and students have a unique opportunity to understand and confront real urban health challenges. Here, students learn, work and deliver care in every one of Michigan’s major health care systems, and they’re also immersed in the community, providing care at churches, recreation centers, grocery stores and more. This makes WSU a destination for those committed to making a real difference; in fact, approximately one-third of Wayne State students are enrolled in health-related programs, and 40% of all physicians in Michigan received all or a portion of their training at the university.
“Wayne State has a proud history of teaching and training health care workers who are not only at the top of their fields professionally, but who also carry the university’s community-oriented approach,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie Lauzon Clabo, who is currently leading the initiative to establish a school of public health. “They are compassionate, talented leaders who will improve the health and well-being of countless people.”
This spring, nearly 4,000 Warriors graduated, including many who are already leaders in urban health through their experiences at Wayne State. Below are a few whose work exemplifies Wayne State’s deep commitment to empowering urban health:
Bethany Archer
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences — bachelor of science in public health, bachelor of arts in political science
Seeking to help Detroiters make the most of the city’s health resources, Bethany Archer worked with the Detroit Health Department on its 2024 Community Health Assessment. She was also involved in planning, executing and assessing community services, including environmental health education, children’s health, reproductive care and more. Following graduation, Archer will pursue a law degree before growing a career in community needs assessment and planning.
Sobia Haq
College of Nursing — master of science in nursing
Passionate about serving vulnerable populations, pediatric nurse practitioner Sobia Haq co-founded her own nonprofit organization, Detroit is My Home, providing care packages and medical aid to unhoused and refugee residents locally and abroad. She also works with the HUDA Clinic, a free health clinic for the uninsured and underinsured, to provide unhoused Detroiters with foot care, haircuts, general checkups and personal care kits. After graduation, Haq plans to participate in medical relief trips to treat pediatric malnourishment.
Lauren Lim
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences — doctor of pharmacy
Strongly committed to equitable, inclusive health care, Lauren Lim is involved in the Community Health Interprofessional Program (CHIP), a student-run multidisciplinary health clinic that has provided care to the unhoused in a partnership with the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. She has also conducted research on the equitable distribution of COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies and worked to raise the visibility of transgender peoples’ health care needs and challenges. Following graduation, Lim will begin her clinical pharmacy residency at Johns Hopkins University.
James Wairagu
Mike Ilitch School of Business — master of business administration
James Wairagu is dedicated to addressing health disparities and to leveraging the business end of medicine and community outreach to balance inequities. He serves as an ophthalmic technician and scribe at the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit, where he also founded the Kresge Vision Volunteers to enhance vision services and patient care experiences. He is also the co-founder of the Detroit Youth Health Expo, which encourages Detroit high school students to consider careers in health. A member of the Wayne Med-Direct Program, Wairagu will begin his studies at the Wayne State School of Medicine in July.
Learn more about how Wayne State University empowers health for our urban neighborhoods.