Addressing HEALTH for the Formerly Incarcerated

The number of individuals released from state and federal prison has increased substantially in recent years. According to The Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the United States, about 5 million formerly incarcerated adults (returning citizens) are under community supervision (e.g. probation or parole) at any given time. And these returning citizens face numerous barriers—inadequate housing, poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to nutritious food and physical activity.

A Shout Out to Student Health

What do students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle while in college? That’s what Spartan in Public Health alumnus John Matkovic’s research focuses on.

“We all know that students enter college with different levels of readiness on how to study, how to be healthy while in college,” said Matkovic, who earned his bachelor’s degree in microbiology (’06) and his master of public health (MPH) (’11) from Michigan State University.

Mott Foundation Grants $25 Million to MSU to Expand Public Health Initiatives in Flint

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has granted $25 million to expand the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine’s public health presence in Flint. The grant will create an endowed fund to increase public health faculty, academic research and community health collaborations.

The Path Forward is Not Always Straight

Tamara Jordan, DO, MLS (ASCP), has overcome numerous adversities in her life to get to the point where she is today. Her path was anything but straightforward. Jordan and her two siblings grew up in a single-parent home in Flint, Mich. During her senior year in high school, she was a victim of a gunshot wound to the abdomen—an experience that would lead her to pursue a medical career. During her freshman year at Michigan State University, she became pregnant; as a single parent, she attended school full-time while holding a full-time job.

How to Increase Awareness and Uptake of Antibody Testing in Flint

A team of MSU researchers seeks answers to understand the barriers to COVID-19 antibody testing and vaccinations in Flint. A research team collects data to understand which public health communication strategies are most effective. Volunteers from the Flint Registry drive up to a “Root beer stand-style” testing station; MSU will compare antibody status to COVID-19 exposure and vaccination rates among Flint residents using a salivary testing tool.

Accreditation Update from MPH Director

As part of the accreditation process, the Michigan State Master of Public Health (MPH) program has been engaged in a self-study of the program’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement related to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation criteria. Our site visit with the accreditors concluded on November 12, 2021. Having met all 35 criteria, the Council on Education for Public Health Board of Councilors acted to accredit the Michigan State University Master of Public Health from June 15, 2019, through July 1, 2027.

Public Health Nutrition in Action

Staff Spotlight with Sarah Egan
Meet dietitian and public health professional Sarah Egan, MPH, RD. She is the Project Coordinator for the Michigan State University-Hurley Children's Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative (PPHI), Nutrition team.

She talks about finding her dream job, Flint Kids Cook, overcoming challenges at work during COVID-19, and how transitioning to a virtual class helped reach more kids and brought families together.

Faculty Voice: Seven Strategies to Infuse Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into Teaching

Robey B. Champine, PhD, MS, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Master of Public Health Program, where she teaches courses on social and behavioral aspects of public health and program evaluation. Her research involves partnering with communities to design, implement, and evaluate programs for children exposed to potentially traumatic events.

Trusted Partnerships Equal Successful Community Engagement

RODLESCIA SNEED: 
FACULTY VOICE
As an undergraduate, I was always interested in doing work related to health disparities and increasing health equity. After completing my Bachelor’s degree, I decided to take a few years off before going to graduate school. During this time, I took a position with a social service organization, and that work cemented my interest in public health.

Frozen in Grief: From Pain to Purpose

You’re six months pregnant, and you get the news that the father of your unborn child has been shot and killed while visiting his family in a town two hours away. It could be your undoing, or you could work through your grief and eventually move on with your life to do something positive in spite of the tragedy.

That’s what happened to Sara Loughrige in February 2005.

“All you can do is try to keep going,” Loughrige said. “The immediate feeling is that you don’t want to do anything—you get frozen in grief.”

Accepting Alice Hamilton Scholar Applicants

Alice Hamilton Scholars complete public health training, mentored research, and clinical care with the Michigan State University - Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative (PPHI). The two-year scholar program is named in honor of Alice Hamilton (1869–1970), an American physician, research scientist, author, humanitarian, and social justice pioneer. Dr. Hamilton is considered the mother of the field of occupational health and spent her life protecting vulnerable populations from toxic exposures.

$6M CDC Grant to Boost Confidence in COVID-19 and Other Adult Vaccines

Closing the racial gap in health outcomes and COVID-19 vaccination rates in Michigan as well as other states is the aim of Michigan State University researchers funded through a $6 million, one-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC grant is for the National Network to Innovate for COVID-19 and Adult Vaccine Equity, or NNICE project.