Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health
(MSAPH)
What is MSAPH?
Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health (MSAPH) is a student organization within the UIC School of Public Health. The purpose of MSAPH is to strengthen the minority graduate experience by providing opportunities to build supportive networks and social bonding within the UIC community. MSAPH builds these networks through its meetings, events and activities that focus on academic support, professional growth, peer networking, and community service.
MSAPH holds monthly general meetings the first Thursday of each month at 2:00 pm in the Student Lounge on the first floor of SPHPI. The goal of our monthly meetings is to provide important information to support your academic and professional development, as well as opportunities for social and civic engagement. Our meetings also provide a supportive environment to facilitate peer networking.
Vision of MSAPH
Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health has adopted the motto "Lifting As We Climb." The motto represents our dedication to building a supportive system for students as we embark on our careers in public health. Graduate school can be an extremely demanding endeavor. There will be challenges to overcome on your path to success.
MSAPH exists so that you do not have to make your journey alone. We are committed to providing you with the tools that are critical to helping you achieve academic and professional success. If you need support for personal, academic, or professional reasons, we encourage you to contact any member of the executive board, or the MSAPH advisor. Most importantly, remember that you can succeed in graduate school. None of us would have been accepted if we did not possess the skills needed for success in graduate school and beyond.
Goals of MSAPH
- To provide an atmosphere that will
assist minority graduate students in achieving academic
and professional success.
- To act as a strong voice for the
minority graduate community by actively dealing with
issues that affect the growth and success of MSAPH
members.
- To work with the School of Public
Health administration in recognizing and addressing
the needs of MSAPH members.
- To represent MSAPH in a manner
that will command respect and admiration from fellow
graduate students, administrators, and professors.
- To provide positive role models
for students through the Mentor Program and other
initiatives involving area professionals.
- To provide leadership opportunities
for students that will help them develop the skills
and work habits needed to enhance their future professional
growth.
- To emphasize the importance of
contributing to the community by encouraging students
to volunteer their time with various organizations,
and become more politically active in issues pertaining
to our communities.
- To assist students in identifying
employment and financial assistance opportunities
through postings, job fairs, and networking events.
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Membership
MSAPH is a non dues-paying student organization. All minority students of the School of Public Health are considered active MSAPH members. Non-SPH students and non-minority students who have an interest in addressing health disparities are also invited to join MSAPH.
Benefits
Membership in MSAPH offers a variety of rewarding and enjoyable benefits:
- Access to mentors within the school
to guide students through the rigors of graduate school
experience.
- Access to books, study guides,
and outline banks.
- Opportunity to run for and hold
office.
- Opportunity to vote in elections
and on MSAPH matters.
- Meeting people and networking.
- Invitations to receptions for speakers
and presenters at special events.
- Access to a wealth of experiences
and opportunities through our affiliations with groups
like the National Association of Health Care Executives
(NAHCE), the Chicago Urban League, and the African
American Health Care Council.
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2009 - 2010 MSAPH Executive Board Members
President, - Gandarvaka Gray
Gandarvaka is a 2nd year MPH Student in the Maternal and Child Health Program of the Community Health Sciences Division. Raised in Philadelphia, her decision to pursue a career in public health stemmed from a desire to understand why some racial and ethnic minority groups, particularly those in urban areas, disproportionately experience poor health and to eliminate these disparities. For Gandarvaka, epidemiologic research is an opportunity to bridge together her passion for advocating the needs of underrepresented groups and her formal education, a BS in General Science and Minor in Statistics from Penn State University. Her primary research interests are social determinants of sexual and reproductive health. She has held two positions in this area at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where she worked with the Adolescent Reproductive Health Team in the Division of Reproductive Health. Her current research focuses on the impact of neighborhood change processes such as gentrification on birth outcomes.
Vice President - Rayna Brown
Rayna N. Brown is a native of the South Side of Chicago. She has about eight years of experience in community work with five of those years as a health educator and outreach worker. Rayna has a BS in Biology from Spelman College and a MA in Women's and Gender Studies from Roosevelt
University. She is currently a MPH candidate in the division of Community Health Sciences, Maternal and Child Health Concentration. She will be starting her second year in Fall 2009. Outside of school, she is active in Chicago's dance community and participates in several local community organizing, social justice, and grassroots campaigns.
Treasurer - Brittney Lilly
Brittney Lilly is a native of Detroit, Michigan. Although a northerner, she traveled south to pursue her undergraduate studies. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Alabama A&M University in May 2008. As an undergraduate, Brittney participated in various summer programs; one of which exposed her to the injustices in our health care system and led her to pursue a master of public health degree. She is currently a 2nd year student in the MPH program in the Health Policy and Administration Division. Since enrolled in the program, she has worked as a research assistant on the Acculturation and Mental Health on Chronic Disease among Hispanic/Latino Immigrant Populations project. While at the School of Public Health, Brittney desires to have an active roll in the growth and success of her minority peers.
Secretary - Lolade Akintunde
Lolade Akintunde (pronounced Low-la-day Ah-kin-toon-day) was born in the city of Chicago and raised on both the North side of Chicago and in Morton Grove, IL. After graduating from Niles West High School in 2001, she ventured to the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She completed a Community Health, Health Education bachelors degree at UIUC in 2005 and continued to pursue a nursing degree here at University of Illinois at Chicago in 2006. Prior to bridging over to UIC, Lolade participated in the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) at UIUC. where she was able to work alongside two well distinguished professors (Dr. Susan Farner and Dr. Stephen Notaro). Through her experience in SROP, she was able to research bioterrorism preparedness data and conduct tabletop exercises in rural Illinois. While at UIC, Lolade was able to venture to the Core Center and the cities Uptown Neighborhood Clinic and travel with the Tuberculosis crew, administering and reading PPD tests as well as giving out TB medication.
Lolade is a current dual Community Health Sciences, MSN/MPH candidate who has plans to graduate in 2010. She is a current RN at the University of Chicago Medical Center who enjoys advocating for her patients. She also looks forward to interning with the Chicago Department of Public Health working under the direction of Dr. Terry Mason. Lolade serves as an executive board member for the Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health.
Minority Health Conference Chair - Iman Kalifa Martin, MPH MS
Iman Kalifa was born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences (PENN) majored in African Studies, Health and Societies, and Fine Arts. During this time she worked in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics as well as the Department of Neuropsychiatry within the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Upon Her graduation from PENN, she became the 2003- 4 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar to Rotary District 9100, which included Ghana, Senegal, Mali , Nigeria, Togo , Benin, and Burkina Faso. As a Rotary Scholar, Iman completed a Masters in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and a Center for Disease Control Outbreak Investigation certificate. She returned to the United States in 2004 and went to the University of Michigan as a Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture and Health Scholar and Rackham Merit Fellow and earned a Masters in Epidemiologic Sciences. Her work over the past 7 years has been focused on the role of Genetics in racial and ethnic disparities in chronic disease. She is currently a Ph.D candidate in the Cancer Epidemiology Program at UIC’s Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
MSAPH Advisor, Adela Pena, MEd, BA
Coordinator, Career Counselor, SPH Career Services
178AA Peterson Reference Center, 1603 W. Taylor Chicago, IL 60612-4394
Adela@uic.edu, 312.996.3447
Adela Peña is a native of Saginaw, Michigan. She attended Michigan State University where she received her B.A. degree in International Studies and a M.Ed. degree in Educational Psychology and Cross-Cultural Communication. During her graduate studies she designed a training module to acclimate International Teaching Assistants to the American classroom. Her interests in culture and students led to her position as Assistant Director for International Placement within the Office of Career Services at Michigan State University. After relocating to Chicago, she worked as Assistant Director for Career Services and Internships at DePaul University, and Assistant Director in the Office of Career Services at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Adela brings a wealth of experience in the Career Development field, and is dedicated to helping students reach their career goals.
Meetings
Upcoming Events/Activities/Programs
Don’t miss important information on our all our upcoming programs, events, and activities. Visit (add link to the student designed MSAPH website) to take advantage of all the great opportunities.
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