Joel Begay’s work with Native communities has provided him valuable insight on how to partner with communities in a way that does not exploit them. As a public health professional, he aspires to help fill gaps around minority health data by collecting and analyzing data while helping tribal governments, health professionals, and other government agencies interpret the data to ultimately improve Indian Country.
Whether it’s researching the connections between housing and health, going to city development conferences, or teaching students about healthy built environments, Roshanak Mehdipanah is committed to bridging the gap between public health and urban planning.
Wherever Lt. Commander Rashid Njai’s career takes him—from Michigan communities like Flint and Detroit to the frontlines of public health crises internationally—it is his drive to help people, an unwavering commitment to the truth of his calling and his science, that guides the course of his public health work. .
In this Field Notes, Master of Public Health students Sandra Giramahoro Coyne and Jelena Verkler talk about interning last summer at different divisions of The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services in Lansing, where they put their epidemiology skills to good use.
Returning to the University of Michigan after five years working and volunteering with the National Alliance on Mental Health, Bachelor’s student Spencer Walz is using his personal experiences — and a guiding belief in vulnerability and the power of community — to carve a path to population and mental health work.
“Many of the perceived barriers should not slow us down. It can take courage to speak out, but as soon as you do, you realize you're surrounded by people who believe in the same things you do,” says Dudley.