Class of 2024
During her time as a PHS student, Zandy Wong ’24, dedicated much of her effort to disability advocacy work, both on and off the JHU campus. She was named a 2022 Clinton Global Initiative University Scholar by the Clinton Foundation for advancing global digital accessibility in youth spaces. We asked Zandy about her work during her undergraduate years, and two years later, we asked her about her about her post-graduation pursuits:
May 2022 Interview with Zandy:
1. Could you explain what activities you’ve been involved in as an undergraduate?
My disability advocacy focuses on advocating for universal digital accessibility and equitable access to education and healthcare for people with disabilities through influencing policy and working within communities to enact change. Within the policy sphere, I advise the Department of Labor on creating policies to help disabled youth transition into higher education and workplace environments as a CAPE-Youth Working Group member. I am the founder of the NextGen Accessibility Initiative where I partner with Gen Z organizations to make their digital content fully accessible for disabled youth. My work to improve digital accessibility within the NextGen Accessibility Initiative has helped over 61,000 youth in 119 countries have access to accessible educational content. At the university level, I am an active member of the Asian-Americans with Disabilities Initiative and the Hopkins Advocates for Disability Awareness. Lastly, I share my story of growing up with hearing loss on the TEDx stage, podcasts, and industry panels to encourage acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities.
2. What motivates you to pursue this work?
With my advocacy, I am trying to help create the world that younger “me” dreamed of when dealing with challenges related to my hearing loss – a world where accessibility is universal and having a disability is celebrated. With my accessibility work, I hope to shatter the norm that accessibility isn’t just a bonus or an extra, it is necessary for building inclusive communities.
October 2024 Interview with Zandy:
Could you give us an update on your pursuits after graduation?
I graduated from Johns Hopkins with a B.A. in Public Health Studies in May 2024. During Summer 2024, I conducted disability health research with the University of Michigan’s MDisability Research team focused on creating accessible autonomous vehicles for people with disabilities and investigating the accessibility of patient health education materials for patients with low vision or who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing.
In October 2024, I started my master’s degree in Applied Digital Health at the University of Oxford as a 2024 U.S. Rhodes Scholar. Here at Oxford, I am conducting research to ensure that digital health innovations are accessible for patients with disabilities. In my free time, I have learned how to row and picked up a habit of drinking no less than two cups of tea a day!
How did the PHS Program prepare you for your current studies?
The PHS Program prepared me for my master’s degree at Oxford by teaching me how to question and explore subjects I was interested in, giving me a strong foundation in epidemiology, research design, and health policy, and connecting me with the best advisor team ever! A special shout-out to Dr. Katherine Henry and Dr. Jeremy Shiffman for guiding me along the way! The flexibility of the PHS program provided me the opportunity to explore my interests in digital health, disability equity, and policy throughout my time at Hopkins.