For Susan Topping, pursuing a master’s degree was a long-held dream – but only a dream. She didn't think she could afford it while she and her wife tried to save for their children’s education. Topping also worried that pursuing this degree would simply pull her attention away from her family.
“I was always interested in going to grad school and, for a variety of different reasons, I just thought it was out of reach,” Topping said.
When her supervisors at Capital Area Food Bank in Washington D.C., where Topping is the senior director of health and nutrition, brought up the idea of a master’s degree, Topping decided to take a closer look at her options. She found that the University of Maryland offered an online master’s in public health (MPH) program in her focus area, behavioral and community health, at half the price of nearby schools, and with the flexibility that enabled her to continue her career and keep up with family. Her decision was made.
Topping, 49, is now a graduate student in the UMD School of Public Health online master’s program in behavioral and community health, tackling that long-held dream.
“I want a deeper understanding of the field of public health,” Topping said. “In my professional career, I work with hospitals and health systems, and better understanding the structures and best practices in community-based public health research, and the frameworks, theories and ethics around this work, is extremely helpful.
“I want my real-world experience to be paired with academic theory and best practice.”
I want my real-world experience to be paired with academic theory and best practice.
Topping spent her childhood watching her mother and grandmother, both avid cooks, focus on making the most out of simple ingredients. From these roots, she developed an interest for sustainability and food, one she’s nourishing in her studies.
After completing her bachelor’s degree at Juniata College in Pennsylvania, Topping spent her early twenties living in a communal home for volunteers called The Brethren House. She worked in their soup kitchen in Washington D.C. during the day and as a waitress at night. At the soup kitchen she met many unhoused people — such as a man who would make sure she got home safely each night – that led to her focus on working in low-income communities at a few different nonprofits.
For over 20 years, Topping has worked at the Capital Area Food Bank. In her current role, she works with a variety of hospitals and federally qualified health centers (FQHC’s) in the Washington metro area to help create “Food Is Medicine” interventions, which are programs for patients who are food insecure and have diet-related illnesses such as type two diabetes, hypertension or obesity.
“Susan brings a wealth of knowledge to our online MPH program in BCH. She is incredibly committed to her work and here she’s making connections with others passionate about public health outside of her current job,” said Dr. Jenny Hodgson, the BCH online programs director.
To balance career, family and school, Topping works full-time every weekday. When she arrives home to Rockville, Maryland, from work, she focuses on family. She completes course readings before starting her work day and finishes most of her work on weekends.
“The flexibility of being able to do the work when I have time to do it while not having to drive anywhere makes it easier to balance family, work and school,” Topping said. “It's a great program and you get out of it what you put into it.”