Winding road brings CWU Public Health grad closer to home

Having grown up in Ellensburg, Alexis Andrews had her sights set on the horizon as soon as she graduated from high school.

She was seeking a fresh start and chose to pursue an animal science degree in Wyoming. However, after two years and some personal setbacks, she realized she needed to give it another go closer to home. Once she enrolled at Central Washington University, Andrews discovered exactly what she was looking for.

“I was surprised to see how easy it was for me to transition into the programs here, even though I had to completely restart,” she said. “I had the opportunity to really dive in and have a fresh start on the work I wanted to do.”

With deep roots in agriculture, Andrews started out by pursuing an independent study curriculum focused primarily on animal science. But she soon found herself drawn to the more technical aspects of the work, graduating in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in cell molecular biology and Teach STEM.

“I always found genetics and animal science very fascinating, and I wanted to continue that work here,” Andrews said. “I started out doing an independent study type of thing, but eventually found out that I really actually just enjoyed the cell molecular aspect of it.”

After finding a job on campus and completing the degree she set out for in 2016, Andrews was convinced that her time in school had come to an end. Life, as it turned out, had other plans.

“When I graduated, I really thought I wanted to be done with school, after six years of work for my undergrad,” Andrews said. “I started working in a position here on campus, and in my downtime I got to researching available graduate programs. I found the Public Health program, and thought, ‘it’s right here; why not go for it?’”

Suddenly wearing two different hats as both a Public Health master’s student and an executive project and events manager for the Office of the President, Andrews continued to find time to give back to the community she grew up in, too.

“I’ve grown up deeply involved in this community, and I’ve always made a point to really support youth in agriculture, and to represent agriculture as a whole,” she said. “A lot of my extracurricular time has been spent helping local 4-H kids learn how to judge livestock and prepare them for state and national competition. Representing Ellensburg as our Rodeo Queen in 2023 was an incredible experience, too.”

The position of Rodeo Queen sent Andrews to rodeos around the country, where she represented her hometown, as well as her alma mater.

“Out on the Rodeo Queen circuit, I had the opportunity to talk to younger girls who were just finishing up high school and tell them about Central,” she said. “There was somebody I talked to that was really interested in animal science and going into veterinary medicine, and I brought up how our biology program is phenomenal for that because it gives you the background you need in a setting that’s full of opportunities to explore the field further.”

When Andrews was awarded her master’s degree in June, she had the unique experience of helping plan the ceremony while also having a chance to address her classmates as a commencement speaker. While on the commencement stage, she spoke to her unique journey and the rich life experiences that have presented themselves along the way.

“From the outside, it may look like everything is going really well, but there are ups and downs to every journey that people don’t necessarily see,” Andrews said. “It isn’t linear; it’s going up and down and taking different turns, and that’s okay.”

Master’s degree in hand, Andrews looks forward to continuing her work at CWU with a deeper understanding of herself and the community she serves. After all, according to one of her favorite authors, there are few things more important that putting what you’ve learned to use.

“One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou: ‘Do the best you can until you know better, and once you know better, do better,’” Andrews said. “That is something I live and breathe every single day. It’s the acceptance that not everything is going to be perfect, and you don’t have to get it right on the first try, but once you know how to get it right, then you pursue that. I think that’s really important for students to know.”