It’s a long way from the halls of Goodrich High School to the remaining wartime tunnels dug by the Vietnamese, but for Emily Francis the underground experience adds to an extensive education.
‘There are big bats in there and the tunnels are really small to crawl through,? said Francis, a 2011 GHS graduate. ‘There are huge craters all over the countryside from bombs dropped and land mines in some places. The tunnels built by the Viet Cong during the war are long and very complex.?
The Vietnam overseas study by Francis while a student at Mercyhurst University was part her scholastic resume that on Sept. 17 earned her the ATHENA Young Professional Award.
Francis graduated from Mercyhurst University in May 2015 with degrees in intelligence studies and public health and a minor in political science. Mercyhurst is a four-year, Catholic, liberal arts university, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1926 and is located in Erie, Penn. The ATHENA Award recognizes exceptional women who demonstrate excellence in their profession, contribute to their community and help other women to succeed through mentorship.
While at Mercyhurst, Francis worked with intelligence studies professor Kristan Wheaton, J.D., leading teams of students in developing Kickstarter campaigns for local entrepreneurs. The intelligence studies department recommended Francis for the ATHENA Award. She completed her studies with a perfect 4.0 GPA earning her the Bishop’s Award for Academic Excellence. Francis is now pursuing two master’s degrees at the University of Pittsburgh in public health and international development.
Francis worked with Mercyhurst Provost David Dausey, Ph.D., former dean of the School of Health Professions and Public Health, and the group of students who traveled to Vietnam in January 2013 to explore the long-term health impacts of war.
‘I traveled with about 26 students all over Vietnam including Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City,? she said. ‘The class focused on war and the long term impacts of public health. The impact of Agent Orange on people and the forests is still prevalent 40 years after the war.?
Agent Orange was a powerful mixture of chemical defoliants used by U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover.
‘Some of the Vietnamese still have genetic defects due to Agent Orange,? she said. ‘There are places in the jungle where nothing can grow.?
‘We determined the long term impacts of war cannot be anticipated and the effects are still ongoing,? she said. ‘The language barrier was great, so I did not speak to the natives a lot. I’m unsure of just what the people of Vietnam think about Americans.?
Francis also took a semester of study at Mercyhurst’s academic center in Dungarvan, Ireland and she was one of five intel majors chosen for a summer study program at the United Kingdom’s University of Cambridge. Francis speaks French and Spanish and is working on Mandarin Chinese. She served as captain of the cross country team and was president of the Student Alumni Association. She extended her reach into the Erie community in programs benefitting the JFK Center, Multicultural Community Resource Center, Soldiers and Sailors Home and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Emily is the daughter of Robert and Shannon Francis of Goodrich.