From Iraq to Okinawa to the USF (COPH), David Wright鈥檚 path to public health has been defined by service, resilience and relationships.
Originally from Orlando, Fla., Wright was raised in a working-class family where education, hard work and community were core values.
鈥淏oth of my parents earned bachelor degrees and were invested in making sure my sister and I understood the value of education and community service,鈥� he said.
Growing up, I saw firsthand how structural barriers affected health, safety and opportunity. Even though I didn鈥檛 have the language for it then, that experience planted the seed for my interest in public health.
David Wright
After high school, Wright enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2004 and served for 17 years on active duty as a hospital corpsman where one of his earliest and most formative experiences came in Iraq just one year into his service during a peacekeeping mission with his unit.
鈥淚nitially, the community was cautious around us and were not convinced that we had their best interests at heart,鈥� he said. After meeting with the sherif and other local leaders, Wright shared, through an interpreter, that he hoped to offer basic medical training and exams for the village.
鈥淭hey ultimately agreed, as they could see that I was being genuine and honest,鈥� he said. When he asked the interpreter what had convinced them, the reply stuck with him for years: 鈥淭hey could see the kindness in your eyes.鈥�
As a result, Wright was able to teach first aid to several villagers and treat children who had been injured playing in war-damaged areas or were sick due to poor living conditions.
鈥淭hat experience taught me the importance of building trust, forging connections and making a tangible impact,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 often reflect on that moment and others like it鈥攂ecause in the end, regardless of what language we speak or what our personal opinions are, we all need someone to lean on, and our actions can speak louder than words.鈥�
Wright was able to lean into the public health side of his work and decided to formally specialize in being a preventive medicine health technician. In this role he got a taste for community health work in the field by providing medical care, training units in hygiene, conducting water safety checks and investigating disease outbreaks.
(Photo courtesy of Canva)
After serving across the globe Wright realized public health was always his calling and by 2021, Wright was ready for a new chapter and chose USF to earn his bachelor degree in public health.
鈥淎 childhood friend worked for USF and told me about the reputation of the COPH,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 knew I could just about choose any place in Florida, but when I looked into the faculty and the history of USF鈥檚 COPH, it felt like the right place. Plus, it was close to family鈥�
While an undergraduate student, Wright was active in several initiatives including the Refugee and Migr