About Me

Hello! My name is Seyan Coco and I am an Eminence Fellow at The Ohio State University. My hometown is Pepper Pike, OH, where I attended and graduated from Orange High School. 

Currently, I am pursuing a public health major with a specialization in sociology and a global concentration. As an African-American woman, I’ve seen first hand the impact that socioeconomic factors can have on one’s health. Too often, disadvantaged people are denied equal access to quality medical care or face a disproportionate number of negative medical outcomes due to circumstances outside of their control. I am interested in uncovering these disparities and working to establish sustainable preventative health efforts within those communities. 

Ultimately, I hope to attend both graduate school for public health and medical school. As a physician with a thorough understanding of the sociological factors that can impact one’s health, I would be able to treat patients on an individual basis and work on larger scale solutions to alleviate health disparities.

On campus, I am involved in the student organizations Encompass and Dance Connection. Encompass is an organization which aims to bridge the gap between medical and social care via local volunteering. Dance Connection is a club which allows students to create, learn, and perform original dance choreography. 

In the future, I hope to begin performing research related to racial and economic health disparities, continue my study of the Spanish language and culture, and pursue various international experiences. 

If you have any questions about me or my journey through college, please feel free to contact me at coco.17@buckeyemail.osu.edu.

Year in Review

I am nearly complete with the first semester of my second year at Ohio State University. This semester has been challenging, with the transition back into life beyond COVID restrictions, but incredibly rewarding. In the past few months Project PEER, the soon-to-be non-profit that I’m currently heading, has transitioned from an idea to an actual project. A few other Fellows and I have been participating in learning communities in 2 different prison facilities in Central Ohio every other week. It’s been such an eye-opening experience, and I cannot wait to continue expanding our community. I’ve also had the opportunity to choreograph a number in the Dance Connection student-run show. I’ll be performing in my own piece as well as 3 other dances at our two showings tomorrow evening.

Looking forward, I’m excited to deepen my involvement with clinical activities. I currently volunteer with the Columbus Free Clinic as an undergraduate volunteer. Most of my work with this clinic is behind the scenes scheduling, confirmation calls, and COVID-19 screening. However, in the spring, I will finally be putting my medical assistant certification to use. I look forward to more in-person interactions with patients and further developing my perspective on a clinical career.