Aaron Beswick, MSW/MPH ’15, Addresses Rural Health Policy Issues at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servies 8/31/2015 Alumni; Public Health; Social Work Share this Story: Aaron Beswick, MSW/MPH ’15 • Public Health Analyst, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Aaron Beswick is driven to address poverty and its effects on health and well-being. He pursued the MSW/MPH dual degree at the Brown School in order to understand how social conditions like poverty, poor education, social isolation and distressed neighborhoods can undermine health. “The benefit of studying policy at the Brown School is our approach as partners and advocates for marginalized communities,” he says. “What I valued most was the chance to learn from some of the nation’s leaders on translating groundbreaking research into actionable recommendations, policies and programs to improve the lives of vulnerable populations. “Professors like Molly Metzger, Tim McBride, Michael Sherraden and Sarah Gehlert are doing research but are also on the ground putting what they learn into practice to change how people interact with the crucial systems around them, from housing to health insurance to financial institutions to community health services.” Aaron’s practicum gave him real-world experience designing and implementing solutions to complex health issues. As a legislative intern for Missouri House of Representatives member Jill Schupp, Aaron worked on Medicaid expansion and other bills. Following graduation Aaron embarked on a public service career, working on rural health policy issues within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.