Roan Scholar Morgan Blazer helped lead genetics study sessions, pitched a regional health care guide and studied abroad – all before graduating summa cum laude from East Tennessee State University on May 10 with a double major in biology and health sciences, plus a minor in culture and health. 

Blazer grew up in Parrottsville, a small town in Cocke County, where she was active in swimming, cross country and track. “I consider myself very much a family person,” she said. “I love spending time with family, and I love not only where I’m from, but the region itself.”

Why ETSU?

When searching for a college home, Blazer was impressed by ETSU’s faculty and administration, as well as the wide variety of student activities that rivaled larger universities. “It has that small university feel, and I could actually get to know my classmates and professors. Obviously, the Roan Scholars Leadership Program was the final deciding factor – that was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

In the Roan, Blazer found family and a strong network that championed her efforts.

“Everyone is so excellent in the way they pursue their goals, in the way they care for one another – not only the scholars, but the staff, the steering committee members, and everyone else who supports us,” she said. “I have always felt so supported in whatever crazy idea I came up with, or sometimes when I needed a push, I always got it.”

Some of those “crazy ideas” allowed Blazer to do things she never expected to do in college. Thanks to ETSU’s focus on community engagement, some of these came through her internships with three regional organizations, including a chance to help facilitate a week-long Remote Area Medical clinic at the border near Brownsville, Texas. Another came through study abroad, when she was a member of ETSU’s pilot cohort for Destination Nawalgarh, an immersive study program in India. 

Elevating health education

One of her internships led to a highlight of Blazer’s time at ETSU – participation in ETSU Elevates. This pitch competition pairs students with community-based partners to conceptualize, design and implement service-focused solutions to economic, social or environmental issues. The students and community partners share their ideas in a public event to secure funds to implement their proposed projects.

Blazer’s proposed project for the 2024 competition, “My Health Compass,” came from her internship with A Step Ahead Tri-Cities, which provides free birth control and comprehensive reproductive health education throughout the region. In her work there, she noted that, often, women did not know their options or how to address issues surrounding reproductive health with their doctors.

Through ETSU Elevates, Blazer was paired with the Appalachian Highlands Care Network and conducted focus groups with community health workers and care coordinators to gauge the biggest needs that patients faced. For “My Health Compass,” she proposed to help patients build confidence in their ability to navigate the health care system and their own health journeys through greater health literacy.

Blazer is continuing her work on “My Health Compass” with a goal to develop a workbook or guide patients may use to take charge of their own health.

Making an impact on campus

One of Blazer’s favorite activities at ETSU has been Supplemental Instruction (SI). SI pairs students who have performed well in historically difficult courses with students currently enrolled in those courses, providing three sessions per week focused on the course content. 

Blazer was an SI leader for two years, helping her fellow students in “General Genetics” and “General Chemistry.” 

“My favorite thing about SI,” she said, “is the focus on empowering student success and equipping students with the tools to not only be successful in the class that you’re assigned to them for, but also in the future.”

This year, Blazer mentored other SI leaders at ETSU and gained experience in giving presentations at both the regional and international levels.

In addition to SI, Blazer has been involved in several other campus activities during her college career, as well. She served as a senator and chief of staff in ETSU’s Student Government Association. She took part in ETSU Letters of Love, a grass-roots, student-led effort through which students, faculty and staff wrote letters of support to survivors, first responders, relief workers and others in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

Reaching her goals

As an undergraduate, Blazer participated in ETSU Quillen College of Medicine’s EQUIP (Extending Quillen to the Underserved through an Integrated Program), which provides mentoring and job shadowing opportunities to undergraduate students who wish to become primary care physicians committed to rural and underserved communities.

Approaching the end of her senior year, Blazer was thankful to have several options for attending medical school. She chose Quillen.

“When I got into college, I got to see physicians as community leaders and knew I would get the opportunity to serve my community in ways that will help preserve quality of life,” she said. “It would be such an honor to get to extend the quality of life for the people I love, so they can keep doing the things that they love. I think that is such a privilege that doctors have.”

East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.

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