On Thursday, April 11, seven graduate students and two undergraduates from our health education and public health programs attended the Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Public Health Education (GLC-SOPHE) spring conference in Grand Rapids.
The conference, titled “The Changing Face of Health Education: how to Provide Quality Programming, Services & Messages in Today’s Economy,” afforded students the opportunity to network with health educators and public health professionals and learn about a range of current issues in health education. M.S. in health education student, Jessica Sloan, discussed her experience with PT HEART in a presentation on student-run free clinics and their place in the current healthcare environment. Other topics of interest included suicide prevention, workplace wellness principles, health policy development in rural communities, and school-based health interventions.
PHHS strongly encourages students to join professional associations and attend conferences such as these. Professional affiliations and conference attendance give you the opportunity to network, grow, and stay informed about current issues in your field.