During the fall 2022 semester, Lock Haven University community and public health education majors, Meghan Malloy, of Seaford, New York, and Jessica McCarthy, of Wellsboro, spent a weekend learning how to engage policy makers in public health dialogue and experiences at the National Health Education Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C.
The students, along with their professor, Dr. Rick Schulze, joined 200 graduate and undergraduate public health and health education students from around the country. They learned how to engage in effective advocacy for a common agenda at national, state, and local levels in relation to public health. The focus of the summit was the Youth Health Equity Real Education and Access for Health Act. Students also spent a day on Capitol Hill meeting with legislative aides and chiefs of staff.
“This was a practical opportunity for our seniors to learn about national public health priorities and how to advocate for those policies with legislators,” Schulze said. “It was a great experience for our students.”
FROM LEFT, ARE DR. RICK SCHULZE; MEGHAN MOLLOY; ALLEGRA SMITH, LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENCE ON COMMITTEE OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS; SEN. ROBERT CASEY, D-PA; AND JESSICA MCCARTHY AT THE HART SENATE BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. MALLOY AND MCCARTHY, LHU STUDENTS, ATTENDED THE NATIONAL HEALTH EDUCATION ADVOCACY SUMMIT AND MET WITH SEN. CASEY’S OFFICE TO DISCUSS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUCH AS THE YOUTH HEALTH EQUITY REAL EDUCATION AND ACCESS FOR HEALTH YOUTH ACT.
“The summit really opened my eyes to just how important it is to educate people about youth issues,” Malloy said. “If we want to make an impact we must advocate to make public health a priority in schools and communities everywhere.”
The summit was sponsored by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), a nonprofit, independent professional association of health promotion and health education professionals and students. The members work in nonprofit organizations, hospitals, healthcare settings, schools, colleges, and government agencies.
The Department of Health Science at Lock Haven offers a major and minor track in community and public health.
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