Watts-Thompson Professor of Public Health Cynthia Fair meets students where they are, embracing their authentic selves while guiding them toward their fullest potential with compassion and curiosity.
I will always think of Cynthia Fair as Dr. Fair. I picture her in her second-floor office in Alamance Building — desk stacked with papers; bookshelves overflowing; a round table cluttered with research articles, coloring books and the occasional snack wrapper; her kiddo tucked under the table, quietly watching a show. Whether I arrived ready to work or to announce that I had no intention of working that day, I always showed up. And she always saw me. When I had no idea what I wanted to do — other than “change the world” — Dr. Fair saw me. She met me where I was then, and she still does.
When I was a freshman at Elon, full of ambition but lacking direction, Dr. Fair invited me to join her undergraduate research team. At the time, her focus was on the impact of health issues on children, and I wanted nothing to do with kids. So, we pivoted. I launched a project exploring the impact of stigma and discrimination on individuals living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. We met weekly. I completed the research, turned it into a senior-year internship, presented at the Student Undergraduate Research Forum and eventually co-authored a paper with her. The year after graduation, we were published and presented at a national conference. I landed a job supporting state HIV programs, and I was good at it.
But when I think of Dr. Fair, it’s not the résumé bullet points that come to mind. It’s her enduring influence on who I am. She’s a wellspring of patience, knowledge, resilience and curiosity. She never settles for the status quo. She sees students — and the world — as works in progress, always evolving. She gave me, an eager but slightly jaded kid, the space to ask big questions, to embrace setbacks and to celebrate small victories. Through every life milestone since graduation, through highs and lows, she’s been there. She always says, “When you come up for air, I’ll be here.” And she always is. For the record, I’m still working on changing the world. But Dr. Fair? She already has
Britten Pund ’06 is a public health program consultant with more than 19 years of experience supporting state health department and federal HIV programs. She lives in Maryland with her husband, Zack Pund ’05, and their three children.