1. In The Lead: Linking Community and Career

Liv Ullmann '25
January 28, 2026

When first arriving at Washington and Lee University, I was struck by the sincerity of the community - not just among students, but faculty, staff and alumni, too. My experience began with a public health-themed Volunteer Venture trip, where upperclassmen introduced me to the Shepherd Program and welcomed me into a network of bright individuals who would shape my next four years.

That trip sparked a lasting interest in health equity and service. As a Bonner Scholar, I volunteered with Campus Kitchen to promote food security and mentored peers through the LEAD Program. In the classroom, I explored public health courses through science and humanities - studying human capability of genetics in biology while dissecting systemic poverty through my poverty and human capability studies minor.

After a research position fell through my first year, Fran Elrod, associate director of the Shepherd Program, connected me with the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty. I spent that summer working as a pediatric medical assistant at Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta, where I saw firsthand the health care barriers facing underserved urban communities. During an alumni dinner, my network expanded when I met Dr. Jonathan Wortham '04, a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) physician who became a mentor and, later, a research collaborator.

W&L's support also opened doors to global health opportunities. With funding from the Center for International Education and the Johnson Program, I conducted tuberculosis and HIV research at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and later pursued a comparative health program in India, South Africa and Argentina, focusing on maternal and child health. These experiences deepened my appreciation for diverse community-based health solutions. Thanks to continued mentorship from Dr. Wortham, I interned at the CDC the following summer to conduct domes-tic tuberculosis research. That project led to my first publication and reaffirmed my goal to unite clinical medicine and public health.

This fall, I began a two-year Medical Career Design Fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a path made possible by pre-med adviser Brittany Carr and the W&L network. From day one to graduation, it's the people of Washington and Lee - and their belief in me - that have made all the difference.