Newsletter
Department of Community and Public Health Newsletter
We hope you enjoy the information and welcome any comments or suggestions for future editions. We plan to issue our newsletter three times each year, and you can always let us know if you no longer want to receive it.
Program Letter from the Chair
We need Ryan to write something super awesome here so people will keep reading our newsletter. Thanks!
DCPH Calendar
November 22 Deadline for PHSA "Happy Fall, Brush Them All" Dental Hygiene Donations
December 14 Winter Commencement
Public Health Student Association
The American Public Health Association President Pamela Aaltonen, Ph.D., R.N. joined Idaho State University Department of Community and Public Health Meridian Campus on October 4th, 2019. Students and faculty from both the Meridian Campus and Pocatello Campus (via telecommunications) were able to attend as the APHA President discussed a wide variety of topics that are a concern within Public Health. Dr. Aaltonen shared a lot of insight on what the American Public Health Association is doing across the country and the direction in which the program is heading. During her time at ISU, she discussed issues ranging from the hesitancy of Americans concerning vaccinations and how to properly educate those people to working with telecommunications to help bring health care services to remote areas that would otherwise not have access. After presenting on these general topics she opened up her time for a Q&A for both students and faculty bringing great ideas and helpful tips for students looking to pursue a degree in Public Health. (Insert something about the Galen Louis Scholarship being awarded to Gabriella?)
Other events PHSA was involved in for the Fall 2019 semester include the SHAPE Idaho Conference, the Homecoming Parade, the Geriatric Symposium, and are currently running the "Happy Fall, Brush Them All" dental hygiene drive until November 22nd.(Can we write a little more about this and plug our first major donor?)
Student Spotlight: Carolina Gonzalez
Carolina Gonzalez is a Master of Public Health student that applied for and received a fellowship to learn Portuguese in Mozambique while taking classes for her MPH degree online.
What is the name of your fellowship?
The program I am doing is the National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Fellowship, known as Boren Awards. This fellowship is funded through the U.S. Department of Defense. It provides U.S. graduate students an award for cultural and linguistic immersion with a service component in their chosen field of study.
What town are you in?
I am living in the vibrant city of Maputo, which is the capital of Mozambique.
How long are you there for?
I started the program in June and will be in Mozambique until January 2020.
What are you doing in Mozambique?
I am taking language and culture classes at Eduardo Mondlane University. I also volunteer at the university clinic and have educational excursions 2-3 times a month.
Are you involved with anything there that is public health or health related?
Yes, I am affiliated with Clinica Universitaria. I work at the clinic four days a week under the department of family medicine. I participate in workgroups to improve, implement, and initiate new actions to reduce the use of substance abuse or co-occurring substance use in populations with a high prevalence of HIV. Through this work we travel to surrounding communities called “barrios” to conduct community and behavioral health assessment evaluation to guide us in the development of our interventions.
Has the Master of Public Health curriculum helped you while you are doing this fellowship?
The Master of Public Health curriculum has prepared for the work I am doing at the clinic. I have put into practice the theories and concepts that I have learned through the department. I have also been able to review and identify evidence-based programs and practices that should produce positive outcomes in the communities surrounding Maputo. What has been your favorite experience so far?I have really enjoyed learning first-hand about Mozambican culture. I am specifically fascinated by the cultural traditions and practices concerning health. I have learned about traditional medicine, methods, and rituals to improve individual and community health. I am very fortunate to be learning about community health in this country.
How do you plan to use Portuguese in the future?
This fellowship requires a year of service through the Department of Defense in the national security sector in a position that requires Portuguese language skills. Additionally, I would like to work with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where I can work on HIV/AIDS programs in Mozambique. Portuguese is the official language of eight countries, and it’s the sixth most widely spoken language in the world, so I plan to use my language skills to develop a career in global health.
Alumni Spotlight: Shelby Wiedenfeld
Shelby Wiedenfeld graduated from Idaho State University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Education with an Emphasis in Community/Worksite.
Where are you currently working?
After graduation in 2018, I joined a program called Americorps NCCC-FEMA Corps, which is a 10 month national service program for ages 18-24. The program is a partnership between Americorps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency where you travel with a team assisting FEMA with disaster recovery and response efforts. When I completed the program, I was offered my current position with FEMA as a Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist. This is an intermittent position where I am deployed as needed when a disaster declaration has been signed by the president. I am currently living in Virginia, but travel around the United States to respond to disasters.
What is a typical day like?
In my position, I focus on helping disaster survivors register for federal disaster assistance. I also work to refer them to other organizations such as the American Red Cross, Legal Services etc. that can help supply them with other essential needs that are outside of FEMA's scope of work.
What is the most rewarding about your career? The most challenging?
This work can be incredibly rewarding as well as challenging. It can be difficult to go from survivor to survivor, listening to their stories about how they lost everything they had, both in personal property and loved ones. In my position, I am out in the field so I also see first-hand the mass amount of damage that has occurred to hundreds of homes when a disaster hits. While each case can be difficult, I really enjoy my position. I never know how much assistance a survivor will receive with the registration process, but I do know that just taking the time to let the survivor tell their story to an impartial person can help them recover. It is also very rewarding for me to give survivors referrals to other organizations that do great work to help the survivor make their steps toward recovery.
How did the program/professors help prepare you for work in the field of public health?
I feel as though my professors at Idaho State really helped me push myself and aim high. They gave me the confidence to speak up and ask questions and continued to tell me that what I say matters. I really appreciate the experience I got both inside and outside of the classroom. I was able to gain exposure to a variety of public health related events, materials and professionals during my time at Idaho State and I believe they helped me gain a better understanding of how to be successful in the field. I am very thankful for my professors and all of the guidance and support they gave me in my time at ISU.
What are your future goals?
When it comes to my future, I am looking to continue to move up in my career with FEMA. I am actively working to become a Crew Leader as well as applying to additional positions outside of Headquarters in Washington D. C. I also was recently offered a position that I will start next month with Grafton Integrated Health Network as a Community Living Coach where I will work in an Adult home for individuals with both physical and mental disabilities. I am excited to begin working there as well as continue my work with FEMA. Overall, I'm not exactly sure where I'll be in the future but I know I have a passion for emergency management and public health so I plan to continue on that path.
Faculty Spotlight
Congratulations to Dr. Velma Payne for being nominated and recognized as the Fall 2019 CPI Supervisor of the Semester. She was nominated by Masters of Health Informatics student, Richard Anstatt, who is using his CPI position to fulfill an internship with Bingham Memorial Hospital. This internship would not have been possible without coordinated efforts of the CPI office, Dr. Payne, and Bingham Memorial.