Congratulations to recent graduate of the Child and Family Studies (CFS) Master’s program, Hayley Moran, on accepting a position at the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville as part of their Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) team. Through his position, Hayley will be a part of a team aiming to “identify and create systemic change that results in the reduction of fetal and infant mortality death.” She is excited to use the skills she acquired as a CFS student to speak with parents from varying cultural backgrounds about infant sleep and safety.
Moran came to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) from Franklin, Tennessee. She received her B.S. in Child and Family Studies from UTK and progressed seamlessly into the M.S. Program. To learn more about Moran, browse her brief interview responses featured below.
What attracted you to the CFS Master’s program at UTK?
My junior year, I began working in the Early Experiences Research Center (EERC) with Dr. Hillary Fouts and Lauren Bader. My experience working in the lab as an undergrad really made me fall in love with research which is how I became interested in the Master’s program. I wanted to further explore my interest in how culture can influence families and how to better understand diverse families.
What was your favorite part of the program?
My favorite part of the program was the ability to design the perfect program of study to fit my interests and career goals. I was able to take courses in Qualitative Methods, Maternal & Infant Nutrition, and several CFS courses that explored diverse populations. This helped to inform my research as well as develop the skills and knowledge I needed when entering my career in public health. I also really enjoyed being able to work in two different lab spaces, the EERC and the Parenting Education Lab. Both labs gave me very unique experiences which strengthened my skill set and gave me more confidence when interviewing for jobs.
Just for fun, if you could do any job, what would it be? On a more serious note, what are your long-term career goals?
If I could do any job in the world, I would be a food & coffee critic! But realistically, I just want to always be in a position that allows me to make a difference in a child’s life and empower parents. I am excited that my position promoting safe sleep in Nashville will allow me to do that. Also, it is a long term goal of mine to someday write a children’s book.