Alumni Spotlight - Jamie Baker

What is your current occupation?
As of January 2023, I am an instructor at USI in the Food and Nutrition Department. I previously worked with the WIC program for 7 years. The first five years were at a local health department seeing patients daily and providing breastfeeding promotion and support. The last two years I was at the state level in a more administrative role completing audits of local WIC agencies and providing education and support to local agencies regarding WIC.

What brought you to USI?
I came to USI initially because it was close to home and was a safe and somewhat isolated campus. I was leery of being at a large university in the middle of a busy city since I was used to a small-town environment. Also, I knew I wanted to go into the health field, and USI had many health professions programs to choose from.

Please tell us how the College of Nursing and Health Professions prepared you for your career.
I came back to USI as an instructor because I had a great experience at USI as a student and wanted to give back to the program that shaped me into the person I am today. The support of the faculty and university was extraordinary and set the standard for how I expect universities to function. I wanted to teach in an environment that truly cares, and USI was the perfect fit.

Were you in any clubs, organizations, athletics?
While at USI I was a member of the Food and Nutrition Student Organization (FNSO) and was president of FNSO my senior year.

What has been your favorite memory of your time at USI?
My favorite memory of my time at USI is the great friends I found and the time I was able to spend with them.

What would you tell someone who is thinking of coming to USI?
I encourage anyone to come to USI. It is a large enough university to provide all the traditional college experiences but is also small enough to allow for personal connections with faculty and classmates. USI is truly a wonderful place.