Nate Albrecht is Awarded 2011-2012 Beverly Vaughn Friesland Memorial Scholarship for Graduate Public Service Interns.

Nate Albrecht, who was a GPSI intern with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, was recently honored as the recipient of the 2011 Beverly Vaughn Friesland Memorial Scholarship for Graduate Public Service Interns in recognition of his outstanding achievement and internship performance.  The award is personally funded by Mrs. Kim Hayden, former director of the UIS Office of Graduate Intern Programs, in honor of her mother’s memory.

Nate recently began work as a Health Physicist Technician with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Department of Nuclear Safety. The award was presented at the UIS annual awards banquet held November 9,
2011.

Dr. Sharron LaFollette Receives National Service Award.

The AEHAP Board of Directors awarded the 2011 Jack B. Hatlen Award to MPH Program Chair Sharron LaFollette. Named after University of Washington Professor and environmental health pioneer, Jack Hatlen, the award is presented to individuals who exhibit outstanding service in environmental health academic programs and who also support the work of AEHAP.  Dr. LaFollette stood out due to her 15 years as a faculty member at UIS where she is involved in bringing students to the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) conference as winners of the AEHAP/CDC National Center for Environmental Health Annual Student Research Competition awards every year.   She has been a council member of the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC) for almost twelve years, and is currently Chair.

She has been a friend and mentor to many and her skilled facilitation has helped the council make crucial accreditation decisions for the past few years. Says Yalonda Sinde, Executive Director: “Due to Sharron’s leadership, EHAC has been able to accomplish so much with so limited time and resources.  Sharron always steps up to the plate and has been one of the biggest supporters of the staff.“

Source: Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs (AEHAP)

Marissa Alexander-Scott 2012 Ferguson Fellow, CDC

Marissa was named as a Ferguson Fellowship recipient. This is a program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She worked with various fellows on projects that will combine public health prevention, treatment, and epidemiological studies focused on underserved communities. You can follow this link to her presentation on her service: Power Point Presenstation Ferguson Fellowship

Cassandra Bernardi Spring 2012 Graduate

Cassandra Bernardi has recently been hired as a Program Coordinator for Healthy Child Care America at the American Academy of Pediatrics. it is a federal grant funded position that works with other human service agencies to improve health and well being in out-of-home child care settings. Cassandra’s previous experience as a program coordinator in addition to her MPH degree have made her a good fit for the position.

Gambia Trip

Dr. Josiah Alamu, Assistant Professor in the MPH Department, led a study abroad program to the Gambia, Summer 2012. He will be taking another team of students and faculty with him next summer, 2013. If interested, please email him at: alam3@uis.edu

EHAC Meeting in San Diego, California: Summer 2012

Dr. Sharron LaFollette and Dr. Ken Runkle attended the EHAC Conference in San Diego, California this summer. Dr. LaFollette was re-elected as Chair of the Council and Dr. Runkle was newly elected to a 3-year term.