Joint School of Public Health

Still thinking about an MPH? Join Dr. Brett Sierra, director of the ODU MPH, for an open house to learn all about the Master of Public Health and how it could benefit your future. Register online at https://explorehealth.odu.edu/20252026mphvirtualsessions/inquiryform

Writing-intensive projects can be daunting in any major. But, a revamped public health class is using AI to help students blend technology with learning.

“We wanted to improve two things: self-confidence in writing and the overall course pass rate,” said Elizabeth Brown, Ph.D., M.P.A., assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Policy, and Management and program director for the Bachelor of Science in Public Health.

Read more about the change, and how it's upped the pass rate of the course, at https://bit.ly/3QdIZ8K

Mark your calendar! Join us on June 18th for an online informational session on the Master of Public Health degree. Program Director Dr. Brett Sierra will discuss applications, classes, internship and practicum requirements, career opportunities in public health, and answer your questions.

Can't make it this month? Reach out or join us on the third Thursday of every month to find out how our forward-focused education can work for you.

Register online at https://bit.ly/4th13xm

A knock at the door can mean more than a meal — it can be a lifeline. Across Hampton Roads and beyond, new collaborative research is asking what happens when care goes deeper, when data meets lived experience, when technology meets trust and when institutions come together to close the gaps that shape health outcomes every day.

That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of the ENRICHe (Research and Training Incubator for Collaboration in Health Equity) Grant, an internal seed funding opportunity designed for faculty at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University (NSU). With funding of up to $50,000 per project for a maximum of two years, the program supports two selected initiatives each year. In addition to addressing urgent community needs, each project is designed to generate preliminary data that can strengthen future external grant applications.

One of these projects, run by the 's Michele Kekeh, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in epidemiology, biostatistics and environmental health and Audrey Douglas-Cooke, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing and allied health at NSU, aim to reduce loneliness among homebound older adults served by Meals on Wheels Chesapeake. Using a community-based participatory research approach, the team is co-designing and piloting a culturally tailored, technology-enabled intervention that blends in-person and virtual companionship.

Read the full story at https://bit.ly/4vjCznh

ENRICHe Grants Power Collaborative Research for Community Health A knock at the door can mean more than a meal — it can be a lifeline. Across Hampton Roads and beyond, new collaborative research is asking what happens when care goes deeper, when data meets lived experience, when technology meets trust and when institutions come together to close the gaps that s...

Effective research doesn't happen overnight. With this in mind, faculty spent a day planning, connecting, and making "Shark Tank"-style pitches for their dream funding during the 's first research retreat. But this is more than just sharing ideas; it's the roadmap for the school's growing body of research. It's so exciting to be forward-focused on the future of public health!

Congratulations to the undergraduate health services administration program graduates who were inducted into the Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society (UPD) for the 2025-2026 school year!

Upsilon Phi Delta is the national honor society that exists to honor, recognize, reward and encourage academic excellence, leadership and service in the fields of healthcare administration and healthcare management. The society’s name is derived from the Greek words Upsilon (health), Phi (care) and Delta (administration/leadership). Students are invited and inducted based on a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, leadership and senior status. The chapter is led by Maria Kronenburg, Ph.D., MBA (Ph.D. ‘00, MBA ‘90).

Congratulations to:
Amaya Allen
Amber Clyburn
RayShonda Barham
Eve Anima-Agyemang
Beverly Jennings
Char Pierre
Ledia Mekonnen
Eriel Waddy
Alexa Schwantes

Congratulations to our Spring 2026 Outstanding Scholar, John Denn "JD" Alcantara! The highest-achieving undergraduate students in each Old Dominion University college and school are recognized with the Outstanding Scholar Award every commencement. This spring, the top scholars excelled beyond the classroom —competing internationally, participating in student groups and pursuing their best work under the guidance of mentors who challenged them.

JD was a founding member of the PRJCT 12:21 Christian Leadership Club and a frequent member of the dean’s list. He was greatly inspired by Elizabeth Brown, Ph.D., M.P.A., assistant professor in health behavior, policy and management, who provided consistent guidance for his academic path. John’s favorite part of being a member of the Monarch Nation was meeting people from all walks of life and gaining diverse perspectives that changed his life for the better.

JD said, “These connections made my experience more meaningful and contributed greatly to my personal and academic growth.”

After graduation, he plans to serve the community through public health education and eventually start his own home health business.

Educational Scholarship Day celebrates the creativity, collaboration, and scholarly excellence of educators, learners, and academic leaders across Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at ODU through presentations, posters, and discussions highlighting innovations in teaching, learning, and educational research.

That included some great work by our students, including Kiley Wiechert's project, "The effect of hormone replacement therapy on bone mineral density in menopausal women: A secondary, longitudinal analysis from the SWAN 1996 - 2004", Carlos Aleman Cortez's project, "A Student-Led NSDUH 2024 Analysis of Depression and Illicit Drug Use Among U.S. Adults" and Mckenzie Young's virtual project, "A Student-Led, Faculty-Advised Course-Based Research Project in Graduate-level Biostatistics Course at MPH: Teaching Survey-Weighted Logistic Regression Using the 2023 NSCH Data" (with in-person assistance by assistant professor Dr. Aditya Chakraborty!)