The Occupational and Environmental Health and Public Health divisions celebrated their graduation ceremonies last week. The ceremonies, which brought together DFPM graduating students with faculty, staff, and their family and guests, were held virtually and made available online.
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Those who joined the OEH ceremony were welcomed by Department Chair Kola Okuyemi, MD, MPH, who praised OEH students for their persistence and resilience during the pandemic. Kurt Hegmann, MD, MPH Director of the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH) added to the welcome, as did Joseph A. Allen, PhD, Director of OEH Graduate Programs. Following the welcomes, newly appointed Division Chief Jeremy Biggs, MD, MSPH gave remarks about the critical usefulness of the training that OEH graduates have received.
Following Dr. Biggs' remarks, Student Awards for the division were announced. The 2020-21 awards for OEH are listed below.
Student of the Year Awards
Master of Occupational Health: Trevor Pugh and Jeff Harris
Master of Science of Occupational Health: Alec Trollan
Occupational and Environmental Health Graduate Research Award: Benson Young
Faculty and Staff of the Year Awards
Staff Award: Toni Chambers
Master of Occupational Health Teaching Faculty Award: Eric Wood, MD, MPH
Master of Science of Occupational Health/PhD Award: Leon Pahler, PhD, MPH, CIH
Research Mentor Award: Darrah Sleeth, PhD, MPH, CIH
Following the awards, the new graduates were presented and faculty and staff offered their congratulations.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Division Chief Steven Lacey, PhD, CIH, CSP opened the Public Health graduation ceremonies, discussing the difficulties of COVID-19 and the public health response in Utah and the nation. Dr. Okuyemi also provided remarks, followed by students Sidney Cushing, MPH and William Barber, MSTAT graduate.
Following the presentation of the graduates, Public Health Division Awards were announced as part of the ceremony. Awards are as follows:
Outstanding Faculty of the Year: Christy Porucznik, PhD, MSPH
Student of the Year Awards
Excellence in Global Health: Lisa Peck, MPH graduate
Service Excellence Award: Jenessa Folsom, MSPH graduate
Outstanding Master of Public Health: Rebecca Longson, MPH graduate
Outstanding Master Science of Public Health: Adriele Fugal
Outstanding MSTAT Biostatistics: Benjamin Tingey, MSTAT graduate
Outstanding Dual Degree: Kelbe Goupil, MPH/MPP graduate
Doctor of Philosophy: Qingqing Hu, PhD
Division Awards
Staff Award: April Sanders, EdD
Faculty Award: Charles R. Rogers, PhD, MPH, MS, MCHES©
Following the division's awards, Scott Benson, MD, PhD, MPH led graduating students through the Public Health Oath. Faculty and staff were then giving opportunity to congratulate the graduating class.