Lana Shea

Title of Program: Holistic Public Health

E-mail Address: fxy319@vols.utk.edu

Hometown: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Year: Sophomore

Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2024

Description of Program: As a Holistic Public Health major I will be studying health beyond the traditionally emphasized physical health. While I recognize physical health to be an important factor in one’s overall wellbeing, I also believe it is crucial to acknowledge intersecting variables such as mental health, environmental health, relational health, and financial wellbeing. I have experienced firsthand the dangers of relying on purely physical health indicators and expensive medications as treatment. There is so much more we can address to support a whole and healthy lifestyle.

Departmental Emphases: Public Health, Psychology, Child and Family Studies, Kinesiology

Faculty Mentor(s): To Be Determined

Plans After Graduation (career, graduate/professional school, etc.): I plan to attend graduate school at Naropa University for somatic counseling and become a dance/movement therapist. I would like to work with individuals suffering from substance abuse, alcohol addictions, and/or eating disorders.

Other Academic Interests: I am also interested in subjects such as biostatistics and communication studies.

Prior Enrollment at Other Colleges or Universities: N/A

Study Abroad: I have yet to study abroad due to the pandemic, but I am very interested in such programs in the future. In particular, I would love to travel anywhere in southeast Asia and South or Central America.

Research Experiences or Internships: In 2019 I participated in an internship through Crabtree Farms in Chattanooga, Tennessee entitled Nonprofit Communication. In this internship I collaborated with faculty members to develop advertising techniques to reach nearby communities who may benefit from programs the farm had to offer. I also worked on the farm and travelled to the local market to see every step of the process we were advertising.

Part-time Employment; Hobbies; Campus Clubs/Activities: I have been doing aerial dance for approximately eleven years and I am currently a trapeze and lyra instructor at Elevation Arts and Fitness. Over summer and winter breaks, I work at the Tennessee Aquarium, though this coming summer I hope to participate in another internship or an academic program. I am a part of the Students Basic Needs Coalition and Vols to Vols Peer Health Educators program. In my free time, I like to do yoga, pole, or stand-up paddle boarding. I also like to care for my pets; I have a chameleon, a crested gecko, a fish, two dogs, and counting.

Any Other Information to Add?

I lost most of my freshman year to due a medical and mental health condition and much of my sophomore year due to the pandemic. I am still trying to find my footing at UTK but I am eager to make connections and learn