At events held throughout April, the University of Georgia College of Public Health and its various units recognized 39 top students, four outstanding faculty members, seven exceptional alumni, two inspiring preceptors, and a dedicated national advocate for public health.
Faculty Elevated by Students, Peers
Three faculty members were recognized by the College for their exceptional work in teaching, research, and service respectively. Dr. Anne Marie Zimeri, assistant professor of environmental health science, received the College’s Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Marsha Davis, associate dean for outreach ad engagement and professor of health promotion and behavior, received the Excellence in Research Award. Dr. Jessica Legge Muilenburg, associate professor of health promotion and behavior, received the Excellence in Service Award. Nominations for these awards are solicited from CPH faculty, students, and alumni.
Delta Omega Honors
The Beta Chi chapter of the Delta Omega Honor Society held its annual induction ceremony on April 14. Faculty and current members came together to initiate new students, alumni, and faculty into this national organization which recognizes and encourages excellence in the field of public health. Vincent Lafronza, Ed.D., president and CEO of National Network of Public Health Institutes was the event’s honorary inductee. The inductees included epidemiology faculty member Andreas Handel, Ph.D.; alumni Ryan Augustine, MPH, Rachel Glisson, MPH, Robert Hood, MPH, George Khalil, DrPH, Asher Rosinger, Ph.D., MPH, Raegan Tuff, Ph.D., MPH, and Deanna Walters, Ph.D.; and graduating students Angela Adams, Sabrina Cherry, Quynh Vu Dihn, Leonardo Martinez Pantoja, Rosemary Pearson-Clarke, Elizabeth Serieux, Jaimie Shing, Jacqueline Tachman, Skarlet Velasquez, and Kathy Xue.
CPH Students Recognize Mentors
On April 20, the College and its students honored our exceptional preceptors at the annual Practice Advisory Group Awards Luncheon. The College’s “Preceptor of the Year” was awarded to Doug Blomberg, infection prevention and control manager at St. Mary’s Hospital. The “Agency of the Year Award” went to the local non-profit Athens Nurses Clinic. Kate Connell, quality manager at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital, received the Practice Advisory Certificate of Service Recognition. These student-nominated awards recognize outstanding preceptors and agencies whose effective service as mentors and teachers have guided UGA’s public health students. In addition, the College invited preceptors to nominate top public health students for the “Intern of the Year” award. The award winners were Kara Giannone, Parker Prins, Kyle Murphy, and Kris Appler.
Student Research Takes Center Stage
Soon-to-be graduates of the College of Public Health’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program shared the results at their capstone projects at College’s annual poster day on April 27. Gathering in the Wright Hall Annex on the UGA Health Sciences Campus, thirty-eight MPH students gave poster presentations to CPH faculty, staff and fellow students.
Three students were given top prize for their work. The 2017 Best MPH Poster Presentation winners were:
- Thuy Nhu Thai – “Developing and Validating a Personal Risk of Oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (PRO-HPV) Score for Genital Infections in Women”
- Indhu Shanmugam – “Social support and sexual risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections among young African American mothers”
- Jackie Tachman – “Falls: a public health crisis for homebound older adults”
In addition, seven of the students in attendance came forward to explain their individual projects, as well as their plans for the future. Check out the video here: Class of 2017 – Spring MPH Poster Day Video.
Complete List of CPH Student Awards Winners for 2017
College-wide Student Awards
Kaiser Permanente Disparities Graduate Fellowship: Josalin Hunter-Jones
Student Inductees in Delta Omega Honor Society (Beta Chi Chapter):
Angela Adams
Sabrina Cherry
Quynh Vu Dihn
Leonardo Martinez Pantoja
Rosemary Pearson-Clarke
Elizabeth Serieux
Jaimie Shing
Jacqueline Tachman
Skarlet Velasquez
Kathy Xue
Intern of the Year Awards:
Kara Giannone
Parker Prins
Kyle Murphy
Kris Appler
Spring MPH Poster Presentations Awards:
Thuy Nhu Thai
Indhu Shanmugam
Jackie Tachman
Departmental/Institute Student Awards
Environmental Health Science
Rowe Environmental Health Award: Samantha Kayleigh Hall
Environmental Health Science Scholarship: Adrianne Smith
John J. Sheuring Award: Sarah-Lynne Griffin
Harold & Mary Barnhart Scholarship: Mary Beth Robertson
Randall O. Manning Award: Cassidy Lord
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Ann and Tipton Golias International Travel Award: John Rossow
Health Policy and Management
Outstanding Health Policy Student: Angela Murcia
Outstanding Management Student: Abby Tyre
Connie Lloyd Scholarship: Frederique Lefebvre
Health Promotion and Behavior
Ramsey Outstanding Major: Rachel Harp
Undergraduate Recognition Awards: Kelsy Gibson, Rebekah Livingston, Margaret Naughton, and Onyeka Okeke
Undergraduate Service Award and Rotary Club Dean Service Award – Ivanna Betancourt
Outstanding Achievement, Graduate: Robert Breazu
Excellence in Teaching, Graduate: Lorryn Macie Holstein
Excellence in Service, Graduate: Kyle Murphy
Institute for Gerontology
Mary Ann Johnson Aging and Health Graduate Scholarship: Anna Thorne and Jackie Tachman
Student Inductees in Sigma Phi Omega Honor Society (Kappa Chapter):
Taylor Lee Kennedy
Imani Byers
Carlos Torres
Megan Grandin
Frederique Lefebvre
Congratulations to all of the College of Public Health award winners for 2017!
For photo galleries of our recent Spring recognition events, please visit the College of Public Health Facebook page.
– Rebecca Ayer
Posted April 28, 2017.
