Meet James Thomas | Public health Professor/Lecturer

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk-taking, in my opinion, is the only way to truly be successful. We often shy away from risk because of fear of failure, not realizing that not taking the risk is a form of failure within itself. My journey of becoming a professor involved taking a risk of changing my major, leaving my role in working in student affairs as a graduate assistant to become a teaching assistant. I never had any formal experience in teaching before then, but I knew it was something I had a heart for. I taught for two years as a teaching assistant and loved it, and became a full-time professor. Had it not taken the risk of leaving what was comfortable, I have no idea where I would be.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a professor/lecturer at Georgia Southern University in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. I started off my college career as a biology major with the intention to become a doctor, but I realized that this field wasn’t for me. I was hesitant to try something new, not necessarily knowing what the outcome would be, but I had faith that God would lead me in the right direction. I still had aspirations to work in the health field, which is why I took a chance and changed my major to public health. As a student, I thrived in my major. accomplishing many goals, personally and academically. After my undergraduate career was done, I pursued my master’s in Public Health, and then on to complete my doctorate. One door opened after another, and It was during my tenure as a doctoral student I discovered my love for teaching. I was an assistant for a leadership class, and my supervisor was absent that day I had the opportunity to lead the class. Being in front of the classroom gave me a feeling of fulfillment that I had never experienced with any other job. This was totally different than being a medical doctor, but I loved it. Shortly after I had the opportunity to become a teaching assistant, and after two years the opportunity to become a full-time professor opened as well. Altogether, I have 7 years of teaching experience, and it has been the most rewarding experience.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a history nerd, so I’m definitely taking them to the National Civil Rights Museum downtown. Seeing MLK’s personal handwritten letters, and possessions really made me connect with his legacy more than ever. I also like the High Museum of Art as well, I always try to go when Im in the area on the days of free admissions (lol), but I love seeing the diverse expressions of artist, and it always gives me a relaxed vibe when touring. For eating, there are way too many in ATL to name, but I would say the shrimp and grits from BQE are a must-have, and Poor Calvins has recently become a favorite of mine as well. If we are just casually looking for lunch, Im not from Atlanta, but if we are casually looking for lunch, Im sure no Atlantians would object to American Deli . Im also a car enthusiast so I love finding random car shows/meet-ups and just chatting with other folks on how they should’ve bought a Ford lol.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to acknowledge God, my family, friends, mentor, and my public health colleagues