Holly Miranda ’20 awarded Rotary Global Grant to support graduate study in Taiwan | Today at Elon
With the support of Rotary International and this $30,000 grant, Miranda is currently earning her Master of Science in Global Health from National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan.
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Elon alumna Holly Miranda ’20 has earned the Rotary Global Grant from the Piedmont District 7690 Rotary Club. The $30,000 grant supports graduate study outside of the United States for those studying within Rotary’s six areas of focus: peace building and conflict prevention, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and community economic development. With Rotary’s support, Miranda is currently earning her Master of Science in Global Health from National Taiwan University in Taipei so she can fulfill her mission of strengthening healthcare systems around the world.
Miranda is the sixth Elon student in five consecutive years to receive District 7690’s Rotary Club’s Global Grant. She follows Faith Leslie ‘21, Allison Potter ’22, Kiara Hunter ’23, and joint recipients Megan Curling ’23, Ava de Bruin ’23 and Nazaneen Shokri ’24. All recipients since 2022 have had at least one major in public health, a testament to the Department of Public Health’s ability to successfully prepare leaders who address the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century.
This opportunity is not limited to public health majors, though, and all interested Elon students and alumni should contact the National and International Fellowships Office for more information about the application process.
From Elon to the CDC
At Elon, Miranda double majored in public health studies and international & global studies and minored in geography. She made the most of her undergraduate experience by engaging in research and service, and studying abroad in Tanzania. Outside of the classroom, she worked in the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and is proudest of her time as a Multifaith Intern.
The combination of these experiences prepared Miranda well for a post-graduate career with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she served for five years. She first served as a COVID-19 epidemiologist in Kentucky before transitioning to a new role at the Vermont Department of Health, where she specialized in public health emergency preparedness and response. Miranda’s time with the CDC helped her clarify her passions and refine her professional philosophy: “equitable access to healthcare is essential for thriving communities.”
With this domestic training under her belt and her philosophy front of mind, Miranda was ready to go global.
An Intersection of Values
When the time came to think about furthering her education, Miranda grew confident in her decision to look beyond the United States.
“I knew I wanted to shift my career toward global health, but I also knew I did not want to do so without first understanding my own interests, values, and limits through hands-on experience,” she explained. “When I began thinking about graduate school, I realized that studying abroad would allow me to expand that perspective while learning how health systems operate in a different cultural and policy context.”
Miranda was drawn to Taiwan for its strong public health infrastructure and commitment to disease prevention. National Taiwan University’s MSc in Global Health program, with its emphasis on international perspectives, offered an unparalleled opportunity for her to deepen her academic and technical training.
To support her goal of attending NTU’s Global Health program, Miranda began working with the National and International Fellowships Office at Elon, which assists students and alumni in identifying and applying for externally funded scholarships and grants. She first applied for a study/research grant through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and was unfortunately unsuccessful, but undeterred. She continued conversations with Ann Cahill and Nicole Galante, director and assistant director of the Elon National and International Fellowships Office, and it quickly became clear that she was a perfect fit for another fellowship: The Rotary Global Grant.
Guided by their core areas of focus, Rotary is a highly values-based organization that seeks to support students who are just as passionate about solving the world’s problems as they are. The intersection between Miranda’s work and Rotary’s goals was evident to both Miranda and her advisors.
“I couldn’t think of a better fit. It’s almost as if Holly has spent her whole life preparing to be a Rotarian without actually knowing it,” said Galante.
It was no surprise, then, when Miranda applied for and ultimately received the $30,000 grant that enabled her to begin graduate studies in the fall of 2025.
Returning to the Classroom While Arriving in a New Country
Returning to the classroom after five years—in a new country, no less—presented its challenges for Miranda, but she quickly found her footing.
During her first semester, she took courses like Global Health Science, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Social and Behavioral Health, while also participating in field trips to the National Health Care Agency, the global think tank CAPRI, and the Taiwan International Workers Association. To get the most out of her experience in the country, Miranda also took advantage of the free Chinese language courses offered by NTU for international students. Her intensive winter course met for three hours a day, five days a week.
As she looks towards the remainder of her time in the program, Miranda is eager to begin her master’s thesis.
“I’m looking forward to conducting my thesis research, focusing on adolescent mental health. I am honored that Professor Shu-Sen Chang is my thesis advisor; he is a leading expert in mental health and suicide prevention in Taiwan and the region. It is a privilege to be part of his lab and to contribute to this area of public health, which I am deeply passionate about,” she said
Once she graduates, Miranda will be well prepared to re-enter the workforce, strengthening health systems, enhancing disease surveillance, and improving outbreak preparedness. In the long term, she aspires to lead outbreak response efforts with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), combining the values and experience she’s gained from Elon to Taiwan, to no doubt make this world a better and healthier place.
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