F&M Stories

The tremendous success of F&M graduates demonstrates the tangible value of an F&M degree. At F&M, we have an exemplary landing rate. Within six months after graduation, 93% of F&M’s Class of 2023 were either employed or furthering their education.

In this series, we check in with members of the Class of 2023 to learn more about their post-graduate path and how their F&M experience launched them toward success.

Maggie Corson ’23

Major: Public Health

Minor: English

Pursuing: Master’s of science in health and the public interest at Georgetown University.

What did the first six months after graduating from F&M look like?

I moved to Washington, D.C., where I started pursuing my master’s of science in health and the public interest, a graduate program at Georgetown University. I chose this program because it offered an opportunity to develop my background in public health in a way that was relevant to my specific interests. It is a yearlong intensive program that examines public health from an interdisciplinary perspective with an emphasis on social determinants of health and health advocacy. I have had the opportunity to engage with stakeholders in the field and have developed a more specialized interest in the areas of women's health and health equity, helping inform my long-term career goals.

How did your F&M experience prepare you for where you are now?

My master's program has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I owe a lot of that to the foundation I built at F&M, where I studied public health on the sociology track and minored in English. My continued studies feel like a natural progression of the interdisciplinary, socially informed nature of the public health department at F&M. The courses I'm currently taking pull from a lot of areas that I had previous exposure to at F&M, both content-wise and also in terms of writing and research. Additionally, the current cohort for my program is 16 people, so our courses are very small and discussion-based. Going to F&M meant that I already felt very comfortable in these types of seminar-style environments, and I've been able to get a lot out of the experience because of the confidence I gained from being a part of the F&M community. Two of my current roommates are actually friends I made during my time at F&M who also ended up in the D.C. area!

“My continued studies feel like a natural progression of the interdisciplinary, socially informed nature of the public health department at F&M.”

— Maggie Corson ’23

How does your current path compare to what you envisioned in your first year at F&M?

I actually came to F&M thinking I wanted to be pre-med. However, after taking Intro to Public Health and Intro to Sociology, I realized that there were many other ways to make a difference in the medical community outside of becoming a physician. Public health felt like an area where I could see myself fitting in well. Working my way through the public health curriculum and getting involved with research within the department helped solidify my interest and gave me confidence in my decision to pivot from my initial focus.

Looking back on your college search, why did you choose F&M?

I knew I wanted somewhere where I could experiment with different courses of study before deciding what I wanted to pursue. Having a place that felt very community-oriented was also important to me, and I could see the way F&M prioritizes this throughout its student experience, starting right when you get onto campus with the College House system. I was also looking for somewhere that had rigorous academics and research opportunities, all of which I saw at F&M, but what stood out to me, in particular, was how collaborative the environment was and how passionate yet approachable and down-to-earth the students were. I knew the environment would push me to be the best possible version of myself, both as a student and an individual.