Kennesaw, Ga. | June 5, 2025

Javier Haro, recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, remembers having been struck by the passion of assistant professor Melissa Osborne for his work. In a way, he could understand.
Originally a Civil engineering Major, Haro quickly learned that he had no passion for the field. He briefly stretched out exercise scienceAlso, before learning from Osborne on public health And the impact it could have on the world as a whole, especially in local communities.
It was then that he found his passion.
“I am so happy to have come to Kennesaw State,” said Haro. “I might not have met Dr. Osborne or by discovering his research work and everything Wellstar College of Health and Human Services has to offer students.
Haro chose Ksu in part because of his sister, Angela, a major in marketing, with whom he shared an apartment for a while. He got involved with the First generation OWLS Group of students and briefly sat on its board of directors. After arriving on campus and his accent on the science of exercise, he spent a summer on an internship in a physiotherapy clinic. Experience convinced Haro that he could have a greater influence on people on a larger scale.
“I went from the science of exercise to public health because I wanted to make a difference beyond the head-to-head interactions,” he said. “I wanted to get involved in a larger population, a whole community and have a larger impact.”
Haro later learned professors who carried out community research and sent introductory emails. After a face -to -face meeting, Osborne recruited Haro in his research team, and he has spent the last two years examining the prevention of infant injuries in the communities.
Recently, Haro returned to campus after starting to conclude a project with the Osborne group – an immersive virtual reality home security program for parents with young children in collaboration with KSU College of Computing and Software Engineering. This experience will be used to propel Haro into its next step, a master’s degree in public health at the University of Georgia.
Osborne said that seeing his undergraduate students going to higher education is a highlight of his work.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Javier,” she said. “It is an excellent example of students who are arranged to learn and continue in the field. Whether he continues as a researcher or finds himself on the ground in a community, I know he will succeed. ”
Haro said he would keep an open mind on his future both in the higher school and beyond. But its objective will be to have an impact in a community, whether in class, in the research laboratory or beyond.
“When I met Dr. Osborne for the first time, I noticed that she was so motivated by this subject, and I wondered where this passion comes from,” he said. “I quickly realized once you talk to real people and you hear real stories, it is so easy to want to deepen the subject, find new research opportunities, new themes and leave a positive impact.”
– History of Dave Shelles
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Innovative education and learning leader, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctorate diplomas to their more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the Georgia university system with 11 university colleges. The culture of the university’s dynamic campus, the diversified population, strong global links and entrepreneurial spirit attract students from the country and the world. The state of Kennesaw is a doctoral research institution designated by Carnegie (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8% of American colleges and universities with R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit Kennesaw.edu.