KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 5, 2025

Recent Kennesaw State University graduate Javier Haro recalls being struck by assistant professor Melissa Osborne’s passion for her work. In a way, he could relate.

Originally a civil engineering major, Haro learned quickly he didn’t have passion for the field. He briefly dabbled in exercise science, too, before learning from Osborne about public health and the impact it could have on the world at large, especially in local communities.

It was then that he found his passion.

“I'm so happy that I came to Kennesaw State,” Haro said. “I might not have otherwise met Dr. Osborne or learned about her research work and everything the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services has to offer for students.”

Haro chose KSU in part because of his sister, Angela, a marketing major, with whom he shared an apartment for a time. He got involved with the First Gen Owls student group and briefly served on their executive board. After arriving on campus and shifting his focus to exercise science, he spent a summer interning at a physical therapy clinic. The experience convinced Haro he could have a greater influence on people on a larger scale.

“I switched from exercise science to public health because I wanted to make a difference beyond one-on-one interactions,” he said. “I wanted to be involved with a larger population, a whole community, and to have a bigger impact.”

Haro later learned about professors who were conducting community-based research and sent introductory emails. After a face-to-face meeting, Osborne recruited Haro to her research team, and he spent the past couple of years looking into childhood injury prevention in communities.

Recently, Haro returned to campus after Commencement to wrap up a project with Osborne’s group – an immersive virtual reality home safety program for parents with young children in collaboration with KSU’s College of Computing and Software Engineering. That experience will serve to propel Haro into his next step, a master’s degree in public health from the University of Georgia.

Osborne said seeing her undergraduates move on to graduate school is a highlight of her job.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Javier,” she said. “He’s such an excellent example of students willing to learn and go on in the field. Whether he continues as a researcher or ends up on the ground in a community, I know he’ll be successful.”

Haro said he’ll keep an open mind about his future both in grad school and beyond. But his goal will be to make an impact in a community, be it in the classroom, in the research laboratory, or beyond.

“When I first met Dr. Osborne, I noticed that she is so driven about this topic, and I wondered where that passion comes from,” he said. “I quickly realized once you're talking to real people and hearing real stories, it’s so easy to want to go deeper into the topic, to find new research opportunities, new themes, and to leave a positive impact.”

– Story by Dave Shelles

Photos by Matt Yung

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.