Great Grad Stories: UMF Student Megan Dionne – The “Disease Detective”

Megan Dionne, a Farmington native, was drawn to the University of Maine at Farmington because she wanted to make a meaningful impact on others’ lives. She was unsure of what she wanted to major in until her first semester class in Child and Adolescent Health with Kate Callahan, UMF associate professor of Community Health Education.

That set her path on becoming an Epidemiologist, often called “disease detectives,” who investigate the spread of diseases and how to prevent them.

In her time at UMF, Dionne has been focused and intentional in her coursework, according to Callahan, and demonstrated the kind of professional motivation needed to be successful in a demanding field. In 2024, she finished a 60-hour practicum with Callahan, and this year was awarded a competitive and rigorous internship with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where she will complete her required 450-hour final internship.

She was voted as the 2024 Maine Association of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s (MAHPERD) College student of the Year in fall 2024 and recently awarded a UMF Wilson Research Scholarship to explore the relationship between alcohol use and mental health in college students.

“UMF has given me a great start,” said Dionne. “I am excited about building a career where my efforts can contribute to reducing disease and improving community health outcomes.”

She will be graduating in May 2026 with a major in Health Promotion & Wellness and five related minors including Psychology, Nutrition and Health & Medicine as well as Rehabilitation & Human Services and Child & Adolescent Health. She plans on earning her Master’s in Public Health and hopes to work with the Maine CDC.