This semester, The Public Health Student Association (PHSA) was involved in the #FreshCheck Virtual Scavenger Hunt put on by the Center of Student Well Being.  The hunt was centered around mental and physical health for college students. PHSA hosted the “Boost Booth”, a virtual booth discussing physical activity, participants heard from PHSA President, Taylor Moore and Secretary, Ashley Montgomery. PHSA was also represented during the Student Involvement Fair where Taylor Moore set up a socially-distanced table and provided information about PHSA and how to get involved.

PHSA also volunteered with a Hope House event this semester. The Hope House sets up every Thursday morning 9:30-11 to pack up and distribute food bags for individuals in the community who may be in need of a little extra help during this pandemic.  Students helped pack and sort food for food boxes that are distributed to students every week.

PHSA meets virtually every 4th Thursday of the month at 4pm where there is discussion about:

• Current Public Health News in Our Community
• Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities On and Off Campus
• Public Health Guest Speakers

MPH Alumni Zach Farley ‘20 was recently accepted and offered a full scholarship into University of Oregon’s Prevention Science PhD Program for the Fall of 2021. This will be a 4-year, research intensive degree program. Zach states, “The research interests I share with faculty members at University of Oregon is, in large-part, the reason I decided to accept the PhD position. Specifically, Dr. Liz Budd — my PhD advisor — and I share an interest in developing and implementing physical activity interventions for the youth and adolescent population. Dr. Budd has a dense background in working with and in community organizations (e.g. Boys & Girls Club) to implement health promotion initiatives, and I hope to be an asset in these endeavors.” Zach’s hope is to bring a new component to Dr. Budd’s research, which may turn into a future dissertation- to examine physical activity intervention strategies using social network analysis to enhance outcomes. When asked about Zach’s future with his PhD, he says, “I hope that this experience will permit me to develop into a researcher that contributes to the physical activity and healthy lifestyle literature-base while making a positive impact on communities, which is the most important outcome of research. More specifically, I would either like to secure a research position at a government institute or be hired on at an academic institution on tenure track where I will then conduct independent and collaborative research.” We wish Zach nothing but the best on his endeavors and cannot wait to see where his journey will lead. 

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Master of Public Health is pleased to share the collaboration between Hamilton County Schools, UTC School of Education, UTC Institute of Teaching and Learning and WTCI PBS with the “Educate! At Home Learning Support” Initiative. The primary focus of the Educate! Channel is to provide learning opportunities while children are at home during this pandemic. The content presented will be shown up to twelve hours a day reinforcing content that educators are providing for students during school. With COVID still surrounding us, it is important to continue educating our young people and providing them with educational equity efforts. MPH students and faculty will help support this channel by providing “brain break” segments with a main focus on healthy living segments such as nutrition, sleep, breathing exercises, physical activity options and many more. One of MPH’s second year students, Mary Ferris, has taken lead on this project with providing a plethora of healthy living content that will be presented to children and families in the Chattanooga community.

Are you unsure of what the future holds? Are there too many options to choose from and struggling to find your ultimate “dream” job? UTC’s Center for Career and Leadership is here to help! The goal is to provide UTC students and alumni with the confidence and skills to find your purpose, thrive in your career and contribute to your communities. There are many different services the Center offers such as leadership development sessions, resume building, interviewing prep, a career manual and a test that can help determine which career is right for you! They can be contacted by phone (423-425-4184) or email (career@utc.edu).

Dr. Marissa McElrone is an Assistant Professor in the MPH program at UTC in the Department of Health and Human Performance. She earned her PhD in Nutritional Sciences (emphasis in Community Nutrition) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and a BS in Nutritional Sciences from Pennsylvania State University. She also completed a dietetic internship while at UTK and holds Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credentials. Dr. McElrone’s research focuses on exploring and addressing cultural, socioecological, and behavioral factors related to disparities in food security and nutrition equity among diverse, marginalized and under-resourced populations (e.g. refugees, immigrants, low-income communities) through community-based interventions and policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change approaches aimed to promote healthful food access. She is currently working on collaborative community projects with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and Neigh’tions (a refugee-serving nonprofit). In her free time, you can likely find Dr. McElrone mountain biking, paddling, trail running, or hiking around the Chattanooga area.

Attention all UTC MPH Alumni!

The Public Health Alumni Association (PHAA) will launch Spring 2021! This association will serve as a resource for all alumni to gather, engage in professional networking opportunities, learn about jobs/fellowships, receive UTC MPH Program updates, and learn about community and professional development opportunities in your area! We want to continue to support MPH gradates and their journey in public health! Be on the lookout for more updates and information!