Whitney Carrington

Major

Health Education & Promotion, M.S.

Bio

A research fellow with the U.S. Army’s Office of the Surgeon General, Whitney Carrington’s goal is better health for America’s fighting force and their families.  As she challenges them and identifies the resources they need to meet wellness targets, she’s grateful for the MU graduate program that challenged and equipped her.

“The fellowship allows me to strengthen what I learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world settings,” she says. “I’m being pushed and challenged in every way to leverage my current skills and to learn new ones. The team I work with has faith in me and my contributions, and I know Marymount helped prepare me for this role.”

Whitney is responsible for implementing the Performance Triad, a plan to promote sleep, activity and nutrition among Army family members. Her work has taken her to bases across the country, where she collects data and information.

“I love that I have a hand in working at the strategic level to help make a positive difference in the lives and health of soldiers and their families,” she says. “I also have had the opportunity to go out into the field and connect with the Army community.”

The results can range from weight management classes to rearranging dining halls so it’s easier to make healthy food choices.

“We are truly trying to change the health of the Army and hope to influence better health in our country in general,” she says.

When it comes to choices, Whitney says she made the right one when it came to graduate school. As a young professional, she needed a program that offered classes outside the typical nine to five workday, and her work schedule was accommodated by Marymount’s evening courses. 

“The student-to-faculty ratio is also incredible,” she says. “I never felt like a number at Marymount. It was such a wonderful experience, and I felt valued as a student and especially by my academic advisor.”

Dr. Jennifer Tripken, an assistant professor of health and human performance, pushed and encouraged Whitney.

“She is still mentoring me today,” Whitney adds. “I can’t thank her and Marymount enough for my experience.