After graduating from Springfield College in 2021 with a degree in psychology and a minor in biology, Bridget Foley-Johnson went to work at Hartford HealthCare, supporting adults with substance use disorders and other mental health challenges. 

“I set out to help individuals,” she said. “But during my three years at Hartford HealthCare, I also got a look at the policy side of medicine and how decisions made behind the scenes affect clinicians, patients, and entire systems.” 

That realization, along with a desire to “make a difference at a population level,” led her to explore advanced degrees in public policy and social work. She’s now pursuing both a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration through UConn’s School of Social Work and School of Public Policy. 

“I could see how intertwined the two fields are,” she said. “It made sense to study them together, especially with the internship opportunities and the range of career paths it opens up.”