Matthew Nelson

A passion for American Indian health care spurred Matthew Nelson ’07 to research the issue in depth with the help of two UVSC professors. Nelson's expertise in the field allowed him to present his findings regarding Navajo health and wellness at numerous professional and academic conferences last year, including the Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Now, finishing up his first year in the master’s program at the University of New Mexico in anthropology, he continues to present his research and ideas at national and global conferences on health care delivery.

Nelson, originally from Connecticut, moved to Utah to earn his GED before attending college. After a year at Weber State University, he served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the Navajo reservation. Nelson said he came home with a new determination to succeed and a new interest in the complexity of many issues surrounding the Navajo nation.

That determination brought Nelson to UVSC after his mission, into the care of David Wilson, Ph.D., and David Knowlton, Ph.D., in the anthropology program.

“David Wilson’s classes on American Indian history really inspired me to delve deeper into the Indian Health Service,” said Nelson. “I had built relationships with many people on my mission that had constant contact with the Indian Health Service, so I knew some of the problems that already existed.”

During his Navajo health studies at UVSC, Nelson said he learned a great deal about health policy, much more than he learned on his two-year mission among the Navajos.

Nelson credits his continued interest in the Navajo people and learning to his education at UVSC, but said the most important thing he learned at UVSC was to build relationships with professors.

“UVSC is unique in that classes are fairly small, which affords you an amazing opportunity to really get to know professionals in your field,” said Nelson. “The opportunity to participate in research is readily available and helpful in both admissions to graduate school and the success found therein.”

Nelson plans to pursue a combined medical anthropology/medical degree at Case Western Reserve University after completing his MA from the University of New Mexico. Ideally, he would like to practice medicine back on the Navajo reservation while continuing to conduct research on Navajo health perceptions and health care delivery.