Colorado School of Public Health

Student Spotlight -  Leah Brunner

Leah Brunner is a currently 2nd year Master of Public Health student with a concentration in Community Health Education.  

Why did you choose Colorado School of Public Health?

I was drawn to the Colorado School of Public Health at UNC because practice-based learning is extremely important to the professors here. We have been out in the community, in the majority of my courses, working to make real change. Authentic community engagement is an important skill to have as a public health practitioner, and can be hard to develop from just reading a textbook. At UNC, we are able to engage with community members as part of the curriculum, which has helped me develop better health communication skills, as well as learn how to encourage community engagement and practice cultural humility. I am currently working as a nursing assistant at a local hospital and I am working for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as a contact tracer/case investigator. Being able to work directly on the frontlines as a health care worker and as a contact tracer, I have seen the true impacts of this pandemic and understand the important role public health plays in saving lives, not just during a pandemic. The courses I have taken have tremendously helped me as a contact tracer, and I use the skills I learned in courses on a daily basis. After graduation, I hope to do suicide prevention and mental health awareness work, specifically in rural communities.

Alumni Spotlight -  Leslie Walker

Leslie Walker finished her Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education in the Summer 2020.

Why did you choose colorado school of publich health?

I met with Dr. Gilbert and she explained what the program had to offer. I did more research and realized I liked the idea of the classes being small. 

My experience at the Colorado School of Public Health was great! I felt supported and seen. I am a first-generation college student, so navigating higher education as a woman of color had its challenges. The professors really took the time to get to know me. My husband and I started our family during my second year in the program and the faculty was so supportive and understanding! I am so happy I chose the Colorado School of Public Health at UNC and met such amazing faculty and had a wonderful cohort as well.  

I plan on using my degree to help reduce the health disparities that affect Women of Color. I want to be able to educate members of communities of color around screenings and testing to reduce the high number of deaths due to different types of cancer. I hope to also at some point work with the Refugee community and expecting mothers of color as well.

Alumni Spotlight - Danya Carroll

Danya Carroll graduated with her Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Community Health Education in 2013.  Danya Carroll is currently in the inaugural cohort for the PhD in Indigenous Health program at the University of North Dakota, working with tribal communities through public health, food systems development and capacity building in the southwest including both the tribes (Navajo and White Mountain Apache) she is from.

Why did you choose colorado school of publich health?

I was drawn to the UNC program because of its heavy focus on the community. I appreciated the curriculum of promoting community driven solutions to build capacity, relationships, and culturally relevant programming.

I enjoyed my time at CSPH@UNC. I developed great connections, mentorships, and friendships that I continue today with colleagues and the faculty. There were several highlights during my time at UNC, including a fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, presentations at national conferences on tribal public health, and being chosen as the Student Convocation Speaker at the 2013 CSPH Convocation.

My degree prepared me for the community-driven public health practice and research I have been involved with since graduating. It helped me develop competencies needed to develop effective public health programming in tribal communities. I am appreciative of the support and encouragement I have received from the faculty and colleagues that helped me transition into the public health career field. My passion for public health was strengthened and reaffirmed throughout the program.

Alumni Spotlight - Eva Jeffers

 Eva Jeffers graduated with a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Healthy Aging and Community Health Education in Spring 2018 .  Eva Jeffers is currently working as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging Program.

Why did you choose colorado school of publich health?

I pursued a Master’s in Public Health as a way to connect my interests in healthcare, prevention, education, and community engagement. In considering career paths, I wanted to work with older adults. I am from Greeley, so when I found the Healthy Aging and Community Health Education concentration at UNC, I quickly applied to the program. It was a high quality-program on a small campus with an emphasis in my interests and in my hometown.

While at the Colorado School of Public Health at UNC, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The small size of the classes and the accessibility of the professors created a tight-knit community. As a graduate assistant, I was mentored by my professor, enabling research and teaching opportunities, while also providing life and career guidance.  I was able to tailor my practicum course to my international aging interests, traveling and partnering with a local non-profit to conduct research. The support of the staff and the flexibility of the program, made this achievable. Additionally, I worked 20-30 hours a week, while taking classes full-time. While I was incredibly busy, the program worked well for me. I was able to do well in my classes and well at work, connecting what I was learning to the surrounding community whenever possible.

 After graduation, I worked with the local county Area Agency on Aging. This was in the Human Services field, but so much of my community health training was relevant. This job also gave me invaluable experience understanding health concerns and service delivery for older adults on a local level. Now, with the CDC, my technical public health training is combining with lived and learned community health experiences. This allows me to bring on-the-ground perspectives to the national public health field. My degree paved the way for me to gain the local skills and experience and take that to the national level.

 

Student Spotlight - Bernadette Kopetzky

Bernadette Kopetzky is a second-year Masters of Public Health student with an emphasis in Community Health Education.

Why did you choose colorado school of publich health?

What drew me to the CSPH@UNC would be the relatability it had with my undergraduate degree and with my areas of interest. As an undergraduate at UNC, I majored in Human Services. Public health (and even more so, community health education) was a seamless transition into a post-secondary program from what I already learned in my undergraduate. I also already had great relationships with the faculty and staff members, so it made for a great choice!

My experience at the CSPH@UNC would be a sense of comfort. This program has a way of making you feel “at home” because it allows space to create meaningful relationships with the faculty and the other students. It has been an environment that has fostered collaboration and a shared passion for creating health accessible to the communities we work in.

My career plans are to work within an older adult community. I have always had a passion for working with older adults and addressing the barriers of health they face. I also have a passion for physical activity. I would like to find a career that allows me to promote physically active lifestyles to older adult communities.

I would recommend the UNC program because it provides you with real-world experience, meaningful cohort connections, and a space for innovative and important conversations to be had.

MPH Student Wins 500 Condoms to Distribute During Public Health Week

Graduate student Brianna Kelly won 500 condoms from the organization's Great American Condom Campaign last fall. 

She distributed the condoms at events held during National Public Health Week in the University Center and around campus. 

Read full story in UNC today