Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is proud to announce that Dr. Mona Hanna, associate dean for public health, has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health list of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health for her visionary leadership in founding Rx Kids, the nation’s first communitywide maternal and infant cash prescription program.

Michigan State University’s Rx Kids program has launched in the city of Detroit, marking the life-changing program’s largest launch to date. With approximately 8,000 babies born in Detroit each year, the expansion represents an unprecedented investment in the city’s youngest residents, making Detroit one of the most baby-friendly cities in the nation.

Jennifer Johnson, PhD, was among ten newly designated University Distinguished Professors recognized at a reception in East Lansing on November 20. The recognition honors Michigan State University faculty members for their outstanding achievements in teaching, research, and public service.

Michigan State University’s Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health has announced Ted R. Miller, PhD, has joined the department as a C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, expanding the department’s expertise in trauma and injury prevention, public health, and substance use research.

Brittany Rudd, PhD, has joined Michigan State University’s Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health as an assistant professor, bringing a unique expertise in mental health and legal system interventions that promises to advance health equity and systems-level change for vulnerable youth and families. 

As Rx Kids, a cash prescription program for expecting and new parents, turns one, its co-creator Mona Hanna, MD, Rx Kids director, associate dean for public health, and Charles Stewart Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, has been recognized as one of USA TODAY’s 2025 Women of the Year. The list honors women who have made a significant impact in their communities and across the country.

The Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health is home to the online CEPH-accredited Master of Public Health Program within the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Launched in 2006, the program trains a public health workforce dedicated to attaining the highest level of health for all individuals. As public health evolves, so does our leadership.  

On my first day at MSU, as a student intern, I was greeted with one of the most memorable hugs of my lifetime. I was to work directly under Dr. Mona Hanna, a nationally recognized leader and award-winning pediatrician most known for her role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis; it was a dream opportunity for any 20-year-old public health student, and I was a ball of nerves. As soon as Dr. Mona walked into the room, my worries evaporated as she threw open her arms and gave me a bear hug. “I’m a hugger,” she said.

The Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health Awards Committee is proud to announce the recipients of the Difference Makers Awards. These awards recognize the hard work of faculty members, staff members, and community partners. 

To address the rural public health concerns and train the next generation of public health professionals on how to effectively use health data and improve health outcomes in a community, the Michigan State University Master of Public Health (MPH) Program in the College of Human Medicine has expanded the roles of two MPH assistant professors.   

The USDA’s order to test raw milk samples nationwide is a proactive measure that underscores the importance of public and zoonotic disease surveillance. This is of special importance when we are talking about viruses since they are known to change and adapt to new hosts. Early detection of zoonotic diseases like bird flu virus is important because it has a highly pathogenic strain (H5N1) that poses a potential zoonotic risk causing disease in humans.

With 47 million people in the U.S. facing food insecurity in 2023—more than the combined population of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas, the urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it is unacceptable that many people struggle to access enough safe, nutritious food.