The Community Health Planning and Policy Development Student Committee got off to a great start during the first committee meeting held in March. Chaired by Amy Carroll Scott, CHPPD Section Liaison to the Student Assembly, the CHPPD Student Committee is comprised of MPH and PhD students representing six different schools, in six different regions. During this initial meeting, the members focused on ways in which the CHPPD Student Committee could add value for the students in the CHPPD Section, as well as the larger APHA student membership. The members were united in their goal to develop a solid committee foundation and structure that would be sustainable in the years to come.
As the members discussed their familiarity with APHA, it became apparent that the level of APHA visibility and activity on campuses ranged from very high on some campuses to almost non-existent on others. In most cases, the lack of activity was a result of not having an APHA student campus liaison. As a result, the committee concluded that they had a unique opportunity to develop a sustainable committee structure, to increase awareness of and involvement in APHA and CHPPD by student members, and to work alongside other committees to bridge gaps in student outreach on university campuses.
In an effort to enrich the experience of CHPPD student members, the committee will develop a document introducing students to the basic structure and governance of APHA and CHPPD, as well as outlining the benefits of becoming more involved in leadership roles. The committee also decided to coordinate with the Student Assembly's mentorship program to facilitate matching CHPPD student members with mentors in the CHPPD section. The goal is to have this program in place in advance of the Annual Meeting in Boston so that students will have the opportunity to meet and socialize with their mentors at the meeting.
Off to a great start, and with no shortage of ideas and creativity, this is sure to be an exciting and productive year for the CHPPD Student Committee.
Patricia Peretz graduated in May, 2006 with an MPH degree from the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York. Her interests involve examining health disparities in the context of obesity, and she is particularly interested in the relationship between the built environment and obesity among young children. During her two years at Columbia, Patricia worked on a child obesity study at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, developed an evaluation tool for a school-based obesity prevention program in Washington Heights, and worked alongside Mailman School of Public Health faculty to develop and implement a health promotion initiative. In addition to her involvement with CHPPD, Patricia is a student member of the APHA Student Assembly Programming Committee.