Spring 2015 Volume 13 Issue 1
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SPRING 2015 Volume 13 Issue 1 Healthviews Peace Corps Master’s International Program: Providing SPH Graduate Students With Unique Volunteer Service Around the Globe INSIDE THIS ISSUE v Chancellor Honors SPH Students v DrPH Leadership Program v Spending Spring Break in Granada 1 DEAN’S DESK As another academic very unique online program offered by our school is our Doctorate in Public Health Leadership (DrPH) program. year comes to a Check out pages 4-5 to find out what the buzz is all about! close, I like to pause I’m very proud of the fact that our faculty rank 8th on research The School of Public Health is one of seven health sciences col- and reflect on all funding per faculty member among schools and programs of leges at UIC providing a system-wide approach to healthcare. that our students, public health. Read about our groundbreaking research in each of our divisions on pages 12-13. Robin Mermelstein, clinical faculty, staff, alumni professor of community health sciences, received UIC’s 2014 and supporters Woman of the Year Award (page 14). The award recognizes have helped the UIC Dr. Mermelstein’s significant contributions to women’s health. School of Public The school’s commitment to global health is evident by the impact we are having around the world. Check out pages 8-11 Health accomplish. to learn more about our students, alumni and faculty working AT LEFT Photo taken by Michele Hom (MPH ‘14) on Lake Victoria In this issue of in various countries (and Chicago!) to address public health near Kisumu, Kenya. Just after sunrise, two boys prepare to fish for concerns. Did you know that UIC SPH is partnering with the Tilapia as dark clouds approach. Ms. Hom spent six months in Healthviews, I am pleased to share with you Peace Corps? Read about two students who are the first to Kenya working for Safe Water and AIDS Project, which promotes stories that will make you proud to be part of graduate from our Peace Corps Master’s International (PCMI) health through community engagement, education, and selling program, the only program of its kind in the Midwest. health and hygiene products. the UIC SPH community. Lastly, I hope you’ll see photos from the many events that took ON THE COVER Brian Barg (MPH ‘14) spent 26 months You may have heard the news already about the $1.4 million place during the past year (pages 24-25) and be inspired to join in Malawi while participating in the Peace Corps Master’s Interna- estate gift that was generously left to UIC SPH by Dr. Paul Levy me at one of our alumni events planned for the upcoming year. tional program. As a Community Health Advisor he and Virginia Tomasek. This unrestricted gift is the largest to the worked with individuals and community groups in his village to implement projects and conduct trainings on topics school from an individual and will support student scholarships Wishing you good health, such as HIV/AIDS, nutrition, malaria, and natural medicine. and establish the first endowed professorship in the division of epidemiology and biostatistics. You can read more about it on page 15. Check out the Pulse of Public Health on page 3 to see how members of the UIC SPH community suggest we use another gift of this size should one come our way! Paul Brandt-Rauf, DrPH, MD, ScD Dean, UIC School of Public Health I’m pleased to share news about a new online certificate program in Pharmacoepidemiology (see page 6). To my knowledge, it is the only fully online program to offer this kind Healthviews of training and I know its potential reach is global. Another EDITOR IN THIS ISSUE Sara Giloth 1 Dean’s Desk WRITERS Basmattee Boodram Veronica Johnston 3 Pulse of Public Health Jamie Chriqui An Li SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT DIVISION DIRECTORS David Dubois Alyson Lofthouse Dean Assistant Dean for Advancement Environmental and 4 SPHere Ruth Fuller Katie McGrath Paul Brandt-Rauf, DrPH, MD, ScD Craig Hyland, MSW Occupational Health Sciences Sara Giloth Christina Welter Linda Forst, MD, MSO Senior Associate Dean Director of Development, Cure Violence 6 Neighborhood Commitment Lorraine M. Conroy, ScD, CIH Patricia Broughton, CFRE Epidemiology and Biostatistics ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Ronald Hershow, MD 8 National Scope/Global Impact Jill McClain, Design 23 Associate Dean for Research Senior Associate Director Geri Donenberg, PhD of Donor Relations Community Health Sciences PRINTING Sara Giloth, MA Jesus Ramirez-Valles, PhD, MPH 12 Research Associate Dean for Finance Active and Resource Planning Associate Director of Alumni Relations Health Policy and Administration 15 Community Partner Spotlight Jackie Finch Heather Aguilar, MPA Jack Zwanziger, PhD Healthviews magazine is published by the Office of Advancement 16 Advancing Health in the UIC School of Public Health. The school is dedicated to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Associate Director of Development protecting and improving the health of people in Chicago, across Babette J. Neuberger, JD, MPH Jonah Anderson, MA 20 Class Acts the nation and around the world. To this end, UIC SPH faculty, Associate Dean for Community Associate Director of Development, staff, students and alumni are reaching out to local communities, and Public Health Practice Cure Violence 22 Alumni Notes city and state officials, and international partners with cutting- Richard Sewell, MPH Cameron Johnson edge research, community-based health services and groundbreaking public health policy. Assistant Dean for Urban Health Associate Director of Grants Development and Diversity Programs Katie McGrath Ebbin Dotson, PhD, MHSA Advancement Coordinator Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs Beverly Paulsey Karin Opacich, PhD The UIC School of Public Health is committed to preserving the environment. This publication is printed on post-consumer Assistant Dean for Student Affairs John Slavick, MS 2 recycled paper using biodegradable ink. 1 PULSE OF PUBLIC HEALTH The UIC School of Public Health recently received a $1.4 million gift from the estate of a former faculty member and his wife. If the school were to receive another gift of this size, how would you suggest they New UIC Chancellor use it to make the world healthier? The UIC community weighs in... Honors Public Health Students A highlight of the academic year is the Chancellor’s Student Service and Leadership Awards (CSSLA) program. Since 1973, the CSSLA program has recognized outstanding student leaders and student volunteers who, while maintaining high academic achievement, demonstrate a commitment to the UIC community through student organizations and campus activities and through active service and community engagement throughout the greater I believe UIC School of Public Health To make the world healthier, another When a school receives donations, it Chicagoland area. should use its next major financial gift gift of that size could go to support shows how much they believe in the to establish a Center for Domestic and the incredible students of SPH. If another programming. What an honor! UIC is This year, UIC’s new Chancellor, Global Health Equity with a mission $1.4 gift was used to execute some respected for its research. Let’s keep Michael D. Amiridis, presented to train scholars and practitioners to of the amazing health interventions it strong by providing scholarships to awards to 17 School of Public become leaders that foster cross- and programs I’ve seen proposed students who exhibit a financial need and Health students through the CSSLA disciplinary and community-based public by my classmates and peers, I have by strengthening the pipeline programs program. A 2015 graduate of the health projects around the world. no doubts the world could become a for the next generation of public health Bachelor of Arts program, Katie ROHAN JEREMIAH, PHD, MPH healthier place. professionals. Bobbitt, also won the Eugertha ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, EMALEE PEARSON, MSW/ JAMEL RUSSELL, MPH ‘15 Bates Memorial Award. This award COMMUNITY HEALTH SCIENCES MPH CaNDIDATE PRESIDENT,MINORITY STUDENTS honors a student whose volunteer Members of the Mental Health and Disability Alliance receive the New Student Organization of the Year award. PRESIDENT, PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE ADVANCEMENT activities in a campus or community STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH Chancellor Michael D. Amiridis setting demonstrate an outstanding degree of caring dedication, selfless In addition to the individual students being recognized, the commitment, and a truly exceptional humanitarian contribution Mental Health and Disability Alliance (MHDA) received top to the needs of others. Ms. Bobbitt was nominated for her work honors as the New Student Organization of the Year. MHDA with UIC’s Global Brigades, the largest student-led organization was founded by John Capua (MPH ‘15) to address barriers for global health and sustainable development. Not only did she surrounding mental health and disability. Mr. Capua said he volunteer on two trips to Honduras, but she also served as the worked with other public health students during the group’s inaugural Chapter President where she was able to expand the initial planning phase program to mobilize more UIC students to volunteer. because he knew that people with mental health issues 2015 CHANCELLOR’S STUDENT SERVICE often don’t seek help AND LEADERSHIP AwaRD RECIPIENTS because they are afraid of being stigmatized. Catherine Bobbitt Yaejin Park With more than 50 members, the group John Capua Shruti Patel Focusing on Population Health where To make our underserved communities With the shaky political climate and includes undergrad and Daniel Finn Emalee Pearson public health partners would collaborate healthier, we are in need of resources uncertain future of public health graduate students, staff with community health clinics to to attract and train a workforce ready programs in the City of Chicago, we Josephina Frankovich Ernestina Perez and faculty working decrease disparities in care at the to serve in these areas.