Recent events:

Did you know? Our COPH students have once again “starred” in their community service ventures!

On Saturday, October 5^th, our COPH graduate students (Monica Lazaro, Shelby Leverich and Ruina He) teamed up with COM students at The F.A.I.R: Family Abilities Information Rally – A Cross Disabilities Event,   which is  designed to help people with disabilities fully participate in our community. Our USF Health students led kids and their families in a variety of fun interactive activities at the ‘Keep Away the Germs’, ‘Stay Away from Smoking’ and ‘Stay Fit’ stations.

In addition, on Wednesday morning, October 9^th, our extremely energetic and enthusiastic undergraduate and graduate public health students (Karolina Velez, Andrea Morales, Carly Truett, Miguel Martinez and Ina Hysi) helped experts with St. Joseph’s Children’s Advocacy Center and Safe Kids Tampa teach parents and their children about the benefits of walking and bicycling to school.

Student Service Updates:

The USF Health Service Corps enables our COPH students to volunteer alongside medical, nursing, physical therapy and pharmacy students in a wide variety of meaningful, rewarding and FUN health-related community service activities.  You can click here Fall 2013 Service Corps Opportunitieswebsite for the most up to date, comprehensive listing of events and projects, which are arranged by categories.  You can also click on the Service Corps Calendar to view upcoming events in chronological order.

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, October 17th, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm, ‘Give Life’ Day at the College of Public Health (COPH) – See also: Give Life Day Flyer. USF Health faculty, staff and students, and members of the community, are invited to:

• Donate blood through Florida Blood Services. You can make an appointment in advance at this link: USF College of Public Health Bloodmobile or stop by the bloodmobile for a ‘walk–in’ appointment. Blood donors can receive a $10 IKEA gift card voucher and a t-shirt.
• Register for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)
• Register as an organ/tissue donor through Donate Life Florida
• Learn how you can ‘Give Hope’ to yourself and others by visiting our Mental Health Awareness Week resource table.

NOTE: Great opportunity! Enthusiastic student volunteers can also sign up to volunteer for this event.  (1) You can sign up to volunteer at the COPH between 11-4, at the following stations: NMDP, Donate Life Florida and the mental health awareness table, by contacting Ellen Kent (ekent@health.usf.edu).

Saturday, October 19^th, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm and 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm, Safety Day at MOSI – You can have a great time teaching kids (and their parents too!) about staying safe, in an interactive bike/pedestrian safety rodeo and other safety education activities. We can accommodate 8 volunteers for the 9:30 am – 1:00 pm shift and 8 volunteers for the 12:30 pm – 4 pm shift. Student volunteers can sign up with Anna Ialynychev  COPH doctoral student, Department of Health Policy & Management.

Saturday, October 19th, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Head Start and Stay Well Health Festival at Al Lopez Park in collaboration with Head Start Program and Safe Kids Tampa – USF Health Service Corps volunteers will able to assist with interactive health and safety education activities. Up to 4 student volunteers can sign up with Laury Leiva with Public Health Student Association.

Monday, October 21st, 11:00 am- 2:00 pm, West Chase Bay Care Outpatient Center Bike Safety Clinic (see flyer at healthoween.pdf) – You can have a great time teaching kids about staying safe on their bikes, trikes and scooters by guiding them through a fun interactive bike/pedestrian safety rodeo. Up to 8 student volunteers can sign up with Aishat Alimi with Maternal and Child Health Student Organization (MCHSO).

Research Updates:

COPH graduate students are encouraged to visit  the main COPH Student Research  website, with links to:  Funding Opportunities;  Grant Writing Resources; Research Presentations; andFaculty Research Areas & Expertise.

IMPORTANT:  COPH graduate students can now apply for theStudent Honorary Awards for Research and Practice (‘SHARP’) which provides a financial incentive to COPH students to complete a body of work to a stage sufficient for presentation at a regional, national, or international professional meeting/ conference.   The next deadline will be Monday, October 7^th.

COPH students can have their poster presentations for conferences printed free of charge at the COPH center, as long as they use the COPH Vertical  Poster Template  or the COPH Horizontal Poster Template.  If students are presenting oral presentations at conferences, they are asked to use the COPH PowerPoint Template.

For additional information pertaining to student research and service, feel free to contact Ellen Kent, MPH, CPH by email (ekent@health.usf.edu) phone (813-974-6622) or in person (COPH room 2150H).