The USF College of Public Health (COPH) celebrated the 2024 spring graduates virtually and in person on August 3.
This semester, 356 undergraduates, 61 students seeking their master’s degree and five doctoral students graduated and entered the public health profession.
After a greeting from Interim Dean Dr. Jay Wolfson, the COPH welcomed master’s and doctoral students to a graduation ceremony presented at the college (and also livestreamed) to family, friends, students, faculty and staff.
Every year, the COPH Excellence in Teaching awardee offers words of inspiration to the graduating class. This year’s speaker was Dr. Gillian Stresman, assistant professor of epidemiology.
Via video, Stresman said she is looking forward to witnessing the growth and success of students as they develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in the world.
Drs. Russell Kirby, Jill Roberts and Jaime Corvin introduced the Class of 2024 by their degrees and presented class gifts.
Graduates visited the COPH alumni booth following the college’s graduate ceremony. (Photo by Caitlin Keough)
On August 4, the undergraduate studies team celebrated BSHS and BSPH graduates with a stop-in photo booth session before the USF Health ceremony at the USF Yuengling Center.
(Photo courtesy of Elissa Santos)
Undergraduate students were greeted at check in prior to the ceremony.
Undergraduate Zoey Campagna checks in prior to the graduation ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Elissa Santos)
Here are some of the stories from the Class of 2024:
Sarah Henley, MPH (Photo courtesy of Henley)
Sarah Henley earned her MPH with a concentration in global disaster management, homeland security and humanitarian relief (GHH), plus she earned a certificate in disaster management. She was first introduced to the COPH from an alumnus.
It was her 15-year career as a respiratory therapist in bedside acute care that introduced her to public health.
“My undergraduate faculty advisor at Tacoma Community College also graduated from the COPH and introduced me to the different programs,” she said. “I knew immediately after reading the description of the GHH concentration that this was my choice.”
“I saw many patients being repeatedly impacted by issues that required improvements to public health policy,” Henley said. “I decided I wanted to be part of the force of change.”
In addition to working full time, Henley participated in an internship program with the COPH Lifelong Learning Academy and presented at the NACCHO 360 conference, with hopes to publish in a journal.
“I just accepted a tenure track position as the program chair and full-time professor at Tacoma Community College, teaching in the community health bachelor program. I am excited to return to where it all started for me!,” she said. “I would also like to continue working with my community in various outreach projects and I hope to publish.”
Olga Aranzabal, MPH (Photo courtesy of Aranabal)
After graduating with her bachelor's in public health from COPH, Olga Aranzabal said she decided to return to pursue her MPH.
“I heard excellent feedback about the program from current students. They praised the program’s comprehensive curriculum, experienced faculty and the valuable hands-on experience it provides to prepare students for the workforce after graduation,” she said.
In addition to her full-time academic schedule, Aranzabal also worked in various roles as a teaching assistant, a research assistant with USF Salud Latina and worked for Dr. Amber Mehmood and the Lifelong Learning Academy.
“Despite these time challenges, I found invaluable guidance on managing coursework and additional resources from my professors and faculty mentor to help me succeed,” she said. “The experience has been incredibly rewarding and has significantly contributed to my professional and personal development.”
Looking ahead, Aranzabal was selected as one of the students for the 41st cohort of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Alumni Association (Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm).
“This year-long fellowship in Germany offers a unique opportunity for cultural immersion, allowing me to deepen my understanding of intercultural exchange, diplomacy and foreign affairs,” she said. “While in Germany, I am eager to delve into the intricate intersection of public health and foreign affairs. Throughout this experience, I aim to gain meaningful insights into global health diplomacy while fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.”
Suruthi Sundaramurugan, MPH (Photo courtesy of Sundaramurugan)
As an international student from India, Suruthi Sundaramurugan’s path to the COPH started with her career as a dentist, focusing on oral cancer research. However, her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic ignited her passion for public health.
“I realized that as an epidemiologist, I could serve more people and make a broader impact on communities than I could from my dental chair,” she said. “This realization led me to pursue an MPH in epidemiology.”
Joining a group for secondary data analysis at the Chiles Center in early 2023, Sundaramurugan said that was a turning point, culminating in the publication of her first peer-reviewed article in an international journal.
She served as a COPH ambassador and as teaching assistant for the sports nutrition course for three cohorts of undergraduate students. She also volunteered for USF Health Buddy and Telepals for Seniors in Service Tampa Bay.
“Volunteering has been a cornerstone of my journey, and helping students understand and improve their knowledge in the course was a joy,” she said.
Additionally, Sundaramurugan participated in various competitions and internships. These include the CLARION Case Competition, where her team secured second place and she presented at the 2nd annual Igniting Passion for Professionalism Competition.
“Both of my internships provided invaluable hands-on experience and deepened my understanding of public health issues and solutions,” she said. “Working with CDC/NIOSH allowed me to contribute to significant public health initiatives, while my time with the Village to Village Network and the USF Birth Defects Surveillance Program offered insights into community health and the intricacies of surveillance systems.”
Sundaramurugan has received several accolades, including the Samuel P. Bell, III Award, dean's list honors and Delta Omega honorary society lifetime membership. She maintained a 4.0 GPA for three consecutive semesters and received the international student book scholarship four times. Plus, her abstract was accepted bythe American Public Health Association, where she will present at their annual meeting this October.
“My journey at USF has been incredibly fulfilling and I am grateful for every opportunity and lesson learned. USF has become a second home and I am proud of the experiences and knowledge I have gained here,” she said. “Moving forward, I aspire to work in cancer research and serve more people, continuing my mission to impact lives positively.”
Manica Joseph, BSHS (Photo courtesy of Joseph)
Born and raised in Haiti, Manica Joseph was introduced to public health during her studies in respiratory care and health sciences.
“I chose the COPH because of its strong affiliation with Tampa General Hospital, where I work as a respiratory therapist,” she said. “Many of my colleagues are proud USF graduates, which made it an easy choice.”
Her road to earning a BS in health sciences was not easy. Manica started her studies in 2017, but paused when she found out she would be a mother.
“Six years later, balancing it all was still challenging. I was working a full-time night shift, caring for my two young sons and then my brother passed away in my final semester. Managing both the funeral and my coursework was exceedingly difficult,” she said. “Despite the emotional struggle, the support from the COPH’s advisors and resources was invaluable.”
Manica said her proudest professional achievement is returning to finish what she started.
“Looking ahead, I plan to join the graduate program at the COPH with a concentration in global health practice. My aspiration is to become a physician’s assistant, driven by my experience growing up in a developing country where I witnessed health disparities firsthand,” she said. “With a background in medicine and public health, I hope to travel the world, making a difference in areas that need it most."