When Tibor Kisel watched fifth graders struggle with distance learning while their families faced food insecurity, she saw her calling in public health.
"It was hard to watch students try to get better and come to class when they didn't know where their next meal was coming from," Tibor recalls of her time as a COVID-19 teaching assistant in Angleton ISD. That experience connecting families to resources while teaching remotely crystallized her decision to pursue an MPH at UTMB's School of Public and Population Health.
Today, as a Pre-Award Specialist at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine, Tibor helps researchers secure funding for projects that advance the One Health approach—a collaborative, multidisciplinary strategy that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Her journey from mathematics major to public health professional exemplifies the diverse paths many take into the field.
Pandemic Teaching Revealed Public Health Purpose
After graduating with a mathematics degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2021, Tibor initially considered careers in actuarial science or data analytics. But a summer internship in corporate data analysis left her cold. "There was no human aspect to it," she explains. "I thrive on connections and feeling close to what I'm doing."
The pandemic changed everything. Working at a Title I elementary school where 90% of students qualified for free or reduced lunch, Tibor's role expanded to include online instruction. She connected families to internet access, healthcare resources, and food assistance, witnessing firsthand how social determinants impact health and education.
"That's when the non-medical drivers of health became real to me," she says. This experience, combined with her analytical background and family legacy of teaching, pointed her toward public health.
Creating Community During Remote Learning
Starting her MPH in biostatistics at UTMB during fall 2021 meant navigating largely remote learning. With only one other student in the biostatistics track that first year, creating community required extra effort.
"You get out what you put in," Tibor reflects. Despite the challenges, she found meaningful connections through student organizations, Delta Omega Honor Society leadership, and campus involvement once classes resumed in person. She served as treasurer for the Delta Omega working group and participated in alumni panels, helping current students navigate their own career uncertainties.
Her applied practice experience with Dr. Kendall Campbell in UTMB's Department of Family Medicine examined how faculty from underrepresented backgrounds progress through academic medicine—research that resulted in multiple publications. For her integrative learning experience, she analyzed park equity in Galveston and conducted community health assessments, applying her statistical skills to real community needs.
Connecting Grants to Community Impact
After graduation, Tibor joined the Texas Department of State Health Services as a Health Disparities Fellow, administering grants to contractors statewide. The role opened her eyes to the world of grant funding outside traditional federal sources.
"I think the biggest misconception about grant funding is that it only applies to scientists at research institutions," Tibor explains. "In reality, grants fund so many amazing programs—from health innovations to social services to arts and culture. Grant-funded programs impact millions of lives."
This experience, particularly working with Betsy Cox on matching nonprofits with funding opportunities, prepared her for her current role. There, she helps veterinary researchers secure funding from diverse sources—from NIH grants studying highly pathogenic avian influenza to American Kennel Club Foundation projects.
One moment stands out as particularly meaningful: After attending the 2023 Healthier Texas Summit, Tibor connected a struggling rural food bank with regional grant opportunities. Months later, she learned they'd secured funding to continue serving hundreds of families monthly. "While I played just a small part, I was proud I could leverage my skills to help communities who need it most."
Advice for Building Confidence and Career Direction
Tibor's message to current SPPH students echoes the text on her sweater during our interview: "Say whatever you feel."
"Have confidence and know you have a seat at the table in any room you're in," she advises. Coming from a mathematics background as one of the few biostatistics students during SPPH's transition from department to school, she understands imposter syndrome well.
Her solution? Find mentors who can provide institutional knowledge, help with conflict resolution, review your resume, and teach you to advocate for yourself. "A great mentor can help unlock so much potential—you just have to ask."
Following Dr. Andrea Link's advice to "always do the next interesting thing," Tibor recently launched a Federal Grant Writing Group for early-career faculty and postdocs at the veterinary college. This philosophy of following curiosity has guided her from chemical engineering to mathematics to public health to her current role bridging animal and human health.
"While I don't necessarily do a very specific public health-focused role now, I feel privileged to apply that lens to everything I do," Tibor reflects. Her work supporting veterinary research that protects both animal and human populations proves that public health truly exists at every intersection of life.
For students wondering if their background fits public health, Tibor's journey offers reassurance: "An MPH is a way of viewing the world—a lens you apply to whatever job you do. Just like with a math degree, it's about looking at difficult problems and figuring out how to solve them."