Laurie Ann Moennich, Ph.D., didn't arrive at 17cҳ planning to change healthcare. She came to study graphic design.
But 17cҳ had a way of opening doors she didn't even know existed.
During her freshman year, while logged into the university's online information portal, Moennich spotted an announcement for something brand new: the College of Public Health. She read the list of possible careers and saw the words "disease investigator" and "epidemiologist," and felt something click.
"I always wanted to help people, but I didn't necessarily want to be a doctor or a nurse," she said. "When I read those descriptions, I found out that was exactly what I was looking for, but I didn't know it existed until it was created at 17cҳ."
Today, Moennich is a research program manager of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery research at the , one of the world's most renowned medical institutions. She oversees a team of 10 professionals managing prospective, site-based clinical trials — working with industry sponsors and government agencies to investigate new surgical techniques and treatments. She also collaborates directly with physician-investigators to pursue her own research questions in cardiovascular health.
She's been at Cleveland Clinic since the day she graduated with honors from 17cҳ in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, and a concentration in health promotion and education.
A Well-Rounded Foundation
Initially, Moennich chose 17cҳ over specialized art schools precisely because she didn't want to be boxed in.
When I went to 17cҳ, it felt like home," she said. "I was able to get to know individuals who were in other majors and programs, have that traditional college experience — sports, living on campus, a big university — while still having a more intimate group in the Honors College.
That balance mattered to her. Within the Honors College, Moennich found a community of academically driven peers who pushed each other to excel. She was active in the Public Health Student Alliance and served as a student ambassador, building friendships and professional connections she still maintains today.
Through the Honors College President's Scholar program, she participated in a research project that was presented at a national conference — a rare and formative opportunity for an undergraduate.
"I know I wouldn't have been able to have that [experience] without my participation in that program," she said.
The Mentor Who Made the Difference
If one relationship defined Moennich's trajectory, it was with Melissa Zullo, Ph.D., her introductory epidemiology professor at 17cҳ's College of Public Health.
"She really took me under her wing from my first class," Moennich said. After class one day, Moennich introduced herself and said she wanted to learn more about what Zullo did for work. That conversation set everything in motion.
Zullo connected Moennich with researchers at Summa Health, where she designed and conducted an independent study examining wound infection rates after cardiac surgery. Zullo guided her through the Institutional Review Board approval process, taught her how to consent and enroll patients, and coached her on research design — skills most undergraduates never encounter.
The fact that she took that extra step to help me and give me that work experience has basically led to where I am now," Moennich said. "I think it actually helped me get a job at the Cleveland Clinic, because I had research experience where a lot of people coming out of my program maybe didn't at that time.
That relationship didn't end at graduation. Zullo has remained a resource, a sounding board and a friend — guiding Moennich through decisions about graduate school, a master's degree in epidemiology, and eventually a Ph.D.
Rising at the Cleveland Clinic
Moennich joined the Cleveland Clinic straight out of 17cҳ, starting as a research coordinator in vascular surgery. She worked her way up, from coordinator to coordinator II to coordinator III, while simultaneously pursuing a master's degree in epidemiology. As her expertise and ambition grew, she went further, earning a Ph.D. to pursue her own research agenda and become a principal investigator.
While Moennich’s accomplishments could have opened the doors to opportunities across the country, her decision to stay in Northeast Ohio was deliberate.
"I chose to stay at the Cleveland Clinic because of the ability to become colleagues with some of the world-renowned physicians and leaders in scientific research," she said. "I couldn't ask for anything more. I wouldn't want to go anywhere else."
Building the Pipeline — From Classroom to Clinic
Moennich hasn't forgotten where she came from — and she's actively working to keep the door open for the next generation of 17cҳ students.
As an adjunct faculty member at the College of Public Health, she brings her daily work experience directly into the classroom, connecting students with what work in the field actually looks like from the inside. As a hiring manager at the Cleveland Clinic, she has welcomed 17cҳ students as interns and then hired them full-time.
"They usually spend a semester with me for their practicum, and then I'm able to hire them into full-time roles here," she said. "Having that kind of resource so close — right in my backyard — has been wonderful."
For Moennich, this isn't just good hiring strategy. It's a vision for how academic institutions and healthcare systems can work together to strengthen Ohio's workforce.
The importance of partnerships between academic institutions like the 17cҳ College of Public Health and healthcare partners in the region is the fact that these direct partnerships lead to jobs for students.
"It keeps individuals who are so talented, like the students at 17cҳ, in the area and really helps develop Ohio's workforce in a positive way. It's great to have a direct pathway for 17cҳ students to connect right into those places."
A Credential That Carries Weight
When Moennich sits across the table from a job candidate, she says one thing matters beyond their résumé: knowing their foundation is sound. For her, 17cҳ's accredited College of Public Health provides that assurance.
"As a hiring manager, I want to know that an individual I'm asking to join my team knows what they're doing and knows the concepts that are very important to clinical research — statistics, study design, regulatory affairs," she said. "I know those things are addressed by the College of Public Health since they're accredited, and I can trust that this individual will keep us at our highest-level potential."
She also sees a promising shift in how clinical research is understood as a career path — one that CPH is well-positioned to lead.
"Historically, clinical research was where individuals came to kind of slow down and retire," she said. "But now, clinical research is its own career path where you can be involved from an entry level into dynamic clinical trials that are on the forefront of scientific discovery. Programs like 17cҳ's College of Public Health are training the future of clinical researchers to address that gap."
Advice for the Next Generation
For students eyeing a career in public health, Moennich has straightforward advice, grounded in her own experience: Don't wait to be invited.
"Reach out to your professors. Don't be afraid to ask for advice. Don't be afraid to ask for a job shadowing experience — especially with adjunct faculty who are currently active out in the community,” she said. “We're always happy to have you come shadow us, see what a day in our life is, and make those connections."
She credits 17cҳ with instilling the qualities that have defined her professional character: curiosity, collaboration, and the willingness to ask questions.
"There was nobody at 17cҳ that I met that wasn't friendly to me. Everyone was always willing to help me with anything," she said. "It trained me as an individual and as a professional to make those connections, ask questions and learn that mentorship and collaboration are a really big important part of anyone's future success."