When Sarah Maynard (B.S. '11) graduated from Old Dominion University in 2011 with her degree in environmental health, she knew she wanted to make a tangible impact on public safety and health.
Originally from Chesapeake, Virginia, her path from a curious student Monarch to a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) highlights the incredible versatility and real-world value of the University’s environmental health program.
"My job right now focuses heavily on safety and occupational health," said Lt. Cmdr. Maynard, who serves as a safety and occupational health officer in the USPHS. She is stationed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She works for the U.S. National Park Service's Historic Preservation Training Center under the Department of the Interior, a job that takes her across a massive geographical region, spanning the Northeast and Midwest. She and a team of three other USPHS officers oversee a program of nearly 300 employees. "We visit historic preservation projects at National Park Service sites, where we conduct safety audits, assist with safety planning and perform on-site assessments in a wide variety of working environments," she said.
One of the things Lt. Cmdr. Maynard values most about her environmental health degree is its flexibility. Her career has taken her into areas she never anticipated as a student, allowing her to build new skills, earn specialized credentials and take on new challenges.
Sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, Lt. Cmdr. Maynard went on to earn a master's in industrial hygiene and later applied that training while supporting U.S. Coast Guard shore-based units and ships. After nearly a decade supporting the Coast Guard as a USPHS officer, she transitioned to the National Park Service.
Lt. Cmdr. Maynard credits much of her job readiness and passion to the hands-on experiences and mentorship she received as a student at Old Dominion University. Working in the University's Office of Environmental Health and Safety, a job found through her major, provided a glimpse into the complex demands of the field, from managing hazardous waste and autoclaves to responding to campus incidents.
"Environmental health is such a broad umbrella," said Lt. Cmdr. Maynard. "From internships at Hampton Roads Sanitation District and the Coast Guard, to hands-on research with Mitsubishi Chemical, the program exposed me to so many avenues.”
Finding opportunities to connect to practitioners in the field is one of the most important things a student can do, Lt. Cmdr. Maynard said. She served as a leader in the Old Dominion University Student National Environmental Health Association Chapter and still emphasizes the importance of keeping those doors open for the next generation of public health leaders, giving back to students as her mentors at the University did for her. She often speaks with students across the country and at community events about careers in environmental and public health and the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
"I love staying in touch with current students and sharing what the day-to-day work actually looks like,” she said. “We need future officers and professionals coming in prepared, and ODU provides that foundational pipeline.”
Lt. Cmdr. Maynard’s story is one example where an accredited degree in environmental health from Old Dominion University can lead. In August 2026, the program was reaccredited by the National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC). The reaccreditation affirms the program’s high academic and professional standards in the field, said program director Jefferson Moody (B.S. ’03). As the only program in Virginia accredited through EHAC, it provides a steppingstone for graduates like Lt. Cmdr. Maynard to varied careers.
Moody, a retired naval officer himself, notes that EHAC accreditation is particularly vital for students aspiring toward military, federal and uniformed service careers. It establishes that the University's curriculum meets rigorous national standards, directly aligning graduates with pathways in environmental health, industrial hygiene and force health protection.
For federal career routes, such as the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service or programs like the Junior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program, an EHAC-accredited degree provides graduates with a competitive edge and direct eligibility for environmental health officer roles.
A military career is not the only option, Moody said, but is a common one for Monarchs. With a 99% employment rate within six months of graduation, students often find themselves working in occupational safety in a shipyard, food safety, environmental management and everything in between.
Reaccreditation is more than an academic accomplishment; it preserves a credentialed pipeline for Virginia students seeking impactful public service careers across federal agencies, armed forces, state health departments and private industry.
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