College of Public Health Student Balances School, Parenting and Music
| Joe Sundell is a dedicated family man, student and singer-songwriter.
Sundell, a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Health Systems and Services Research doctoral student, acknowledges that balancing the responsibilities can be tough.
However, he finds a way to manage the tasks as each play a role in making him happy and bringing happiness into the lives of others.
Sundell, who’s married with three young children, is also a graduate assistant in the college’s Department of Health Policy and Management.
But perhaps what he’s most known for is being the banjo player in the band Sad Daddy.
“For me, the band and songwriting are a creative outlet,” Sundell said. “The songs that I write help me make sense of my own life. Also, it’s fun to play any brand of music.”
Sad Daddy is a four-man group — established in 2010 — that has steadily grown in popularity. The band has performed in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Alabama.
One of Sad Daddy’s songs has even been featured on the SEC Network’s southern culture program, “True South.”
So, what’s the reason for Sad Daddy’s growing fan base?
“It’s hard to say what draws people to our music,” Sundell admitted. “But our calling card is we have four different songwriters who sing and write songs. We write about what we know. I feel our music hits close to people’s heart. Most of our songs are fun, party songs, and some are darker and are about loneliness.”
As for exactly what genre of music Sad Daddy produces, it varies, Sundell added.
“People place us in the Americana category,” he said. “I guess because nobody else will claim us.
“Some people think we’re bluegrass because of the instruments in the band, and we have a bluegrass sound. But we don’t fit into the bluegrass genre as we’re more singer-songwriters. Some people view us as Americana, which is such a broad genre. I feel we’re categorized as that because we have a style that’s a combination of American Roots genres, folk, bluegrass, country, blues, swing jazz. But we’re definitely building something special. There’s a community around us now. It’s nice to be a part of. There are fans who feel a deep connection to us.”
Sundell, an alum of Hendrix College and a native of Monticello, Arkansas, embraces the opportunity to build a rapport with the fans. In fact, it was a fan encounter that led to Sundell pursuing a public health education.
Keith Williams, Ph.D., MPH, is a professor and vice chair for the UAMS Department of Biostatistics. He is also a fan of Sad Daddy. Following a Sad Daddy performance, Williams and Sundell started talking. Sundell mentioned that he finished his master’s in math at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and was teaching at UA-Pulaski Tech. Sundell also told Williams that he wanted more professionally than to exclusively teach math at a community college.
Williams then encouraged Sundell to pursue a graduate Certificate in Healthcare Analytics from the College of Public Health. Sundell heeded the advice and enrolled in two classes in the program. He enjoyed the experience and was hooked.
“I like the idea of using data to explore public health trends,” he said. “I like the idea of being able to study data and draw conclusions that lawmakers may be interested in knowing about.”
Joe Sundell is a singer, songwriter and student in the UAMS Boozman College of Public Health’s Health Systems and Services Research program.
Once he got in the school, Clare Brown, Ph.D., MPH, an assistant professor in the college, urged Sundell to consider the Health Systems and Services Research doctoral program. Sundell, knowing he wanted to take the next step toward getting a public health degree, acted on Brown’s advice.
Taking the courses and learning more about what public health is, Sundell recognized that its principles matched with his beliefs regarding compassion for others.
“Going into the field of public health gives me the chance to be happy and fulfilled with the idea of helping people,” he said. “A career in public health would make me useful to society, to the well-being of others by using my abilities to uncover patterns or associations that could help people have better lives.”
The unwavering backing that Sundell receives bolsters his enthusiasm for his public health education, he added.
“I’ve received great support from faculty in the college,” he said. “There are so many people who let me know that if I need anything, all I have to do is contact them. People are rooting for me to succeed. The program has been challenging yet satisfying. It’s work that feels good to do, even if it’s tough.”
Sundell admits that sometimes juggling school, family and music stresses him out. Nonetheless, one of his favorite ways to relax and refresh mentally is to play music, adding that it brings him peace.
“I always get a feeling of satisfaction when I play music,” he said. “For me, that’s the most important thing. The entire process of playing an instrument, learning and improving gives me something that no other person can take away.”
That feeling of joy is also part of why he’s committed to helping Sad Daddy put smiles on people’s faces as they expand their brand.
“The goal for us now is to build on what we’ve got,” he said. “We’ll continue to write songs and grow the community of Sad Daddy fans. It’s something we all enjoy, and that plenty of other people do, too.”