College for Community Health at Montclair State University

Earlier this month we celebrated the launch of a new Community Health/Harm Reduction Kiosk on campus! Located right outside of Blanton Hall, this initiative was made possible through our Department of Public Health in partnership with the Student Health Center, Office of Health Promotion, and Montclair Township's Department of Health and Human Services.

The kiosk offers free health supplies such as Narcan, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, menstrual products, plan B and 3-in-1 spiked drink pens. Use of the kiosk is anonymous and available 24/7, helping reduce barriers to care and support the well­being of our campus community.

Thank you to President Koppell and Montclair Mayor Renee Baskerville for leading the ribbon cutting! 🎀 ✂️

✨CCHL Student Travel Award Spotlight✨

Zhi-Yi Hsu, a student in the Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition and Food Science Program, recently attended the 2026 TANGO2 Family Conference in Orlando, Florida. While there, she presented her research, met colleagues that she collaborated with from Baylor College of Medicine, and had the opportunity to collect new data for an additional form of nutrient assessment, the Veggie Meter. Zhi-Yi also received the T2RF Emerging Researcher Award, which recognizes a student whose work advances TANGO2 Deficiency Disorder (TDD) knowledge through research, collaboration, and innovation 🏆️

Zhi-Yi received a CCHL Dean's Office Student Travel Award, which helped partially fund her attendance at the conference. These awards, funded by the Office of the Dean, provide financial support to CCHL students for the purpose of presenting at regional, national, and international professional conferences. Two of her student colleagues, Laura and Natalie (featured in pictures 3-5), also received an award that allowed them to attend with their faculty advisory, Dr. Mousumi Bose.

Speaking about the opportunity to attend the conference, Hsu said, "My attendance at the TANGO2 Family Conference was a rewarding experience. Finally being able to meet those who are directly affected by my research gave me the opportunity to create real connections within the TANGO2 community, providing renewed purpose to continue working towards improving the quality of life for this community."

Great work, Zhi-Yi!

There is no better way to end the week than with this Graduating Student Spotlight!✨

🎓Tia Atieh, Bachelor of Arts in Family Science & Human Development (Family Services Concentration) and a Minor in Social Work 🎓

Tia is currently a Student Worker in the CCHL Dean's Office and will continue with us as a Graduate Assistant when she enters the Master of Social Work program in the fall. We are all beyond proud of Tia's accomplishments and are grateful she is choosing to stay with us for two more years!

Read more about Tia's journey from surviving a national tragedy in Lebanon to finding her second home at Montclair and the College for Community Health:
https://www.montclair.edu/newscenter/2026/05/08/a-life-rebuilt-how-a-tragedy-led-one-student-to-her-true-calling/

✨Next up in our Graduating Student Spotlight Series is...

🎓Cecilia Downey, Master of Public Health w/ a Concentration in Healthcare Administration and Policy 🎓

Spring 2026 Commencement is less than a week away! 🥳

Our first Graduating Student Spotlight belongs to...

🎓Anthony Palmisano, Master of Arts in Counseling (Addictions Concentration) 🎓

Earlier this month, the CCHL Dean's Office was well represented at the 2026 Outstanding Student Employee Awards! Hosted by the Office of Experiential Education and Career Connections, the annual ceremony celebrates the many student employees that help keep our campus running.

🏆Tia Atieh, Student Worker in the Dean's Office, was one of the awardees of the Outstanding Student Employee Award! Our entire team is grateful to Tia, who is always willing to lend a helping hand and is continually interested in learning more and getting involved in the operations of our unit.

Additionally, Hanan Atiyat (Assistant Dean - not pictured) and Jazmine Pascual-Valeriano (Administrative Coordinator) were nominees for the inaugural Supervisor of the Year Award!

The night is still young for !! Now in its 10th year, Montclair's 24-hour day of giving is an exciting day to celebrate student success. Every gift, no matter the size, has the power to change a student's life, forever.

Your unwavering support enables us to provide cutting-edge resources, experiential learning opportunities, and mentorship programs that prepare our students to address the complex challenges facing modern healthcare systems.

Let’s go Red Hawks! ❤️ 🦅

Please consider supporting the College for Community Health:
https://lnkd.in/eHBzPAsY

‼U.S. News & World Report has released their 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings‼

Montclair State University and programs in the College for Community Health are once again ranked among the best in the nation.

✨Our Master of Public Health (MPH) program ranked No. 142 overall, jumping up 26 spots from the previous year

✨Our Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program ranked No. 49 in the country, up 12 spots from 2025

🗓 TODAY (Wednesday, March 18th)
⏰ 2:30-3:30PM
📍 CCHL Student Success Center, University Hall Suite 1170

Please join us for a College for Community Health "Pizza Social" on Wednesday, March 18th from 2:30-3:30PM! 🍕

Come to the Student Success Center (University Hall, Suite 1170) to enjoy a hot slice (or two or three!) and meet with other members of the CCHL community in an informal and relaxed environment. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our programs, discuss how your semester is going, and share valuable feedback with the College administration.

This event is open to all students. We hope to see you there!

Tomorrow is the day!
🗓 Tuesday, March 3rd
⏰10:00-11:00AM, 11:30AM-12:30PM, and 2:00-4:15PM
📍The Conference Center, University Hall 7th Floor

Please consider joining the College for Community Health for a Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Dr. Margarita Alegría, a widely recognized leader in health equity and disparities research.

Dr. Alegria serves as Chief of the Disparities Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital and is a Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Her research has helped advance understanding of racial and ethnic health disparities, mental health service delivery, and the impact of social and cultural factors on healthcare access and outcomes. As a principal investigator on multiple NIH- and PCORI-funded initiatives and author of more than 200 scholarly publications, Dr. Alegria brings extensive expertise in advancing equitable healthcare and strengthening community-centered approaches to research and service delivery.

This lecture series will include multiple sessions offering valuable insights for faculty, staff, students, and community partners interested in health equity, mental health, student wellbeing, and collaborative research strategies. We encourage members of our campus and external communities to attend one or more sessions and engage in this important conversation on advancing equitable health outcomes and supporting diverse populations.

We hope to see you there!