Student Leaders in Public Health

Alexi Kyro, Undergraduate in Public Health

Montana State University

Host Site: Crow Agency Public School

Topic: Environmental Health Literacy/Health Ed Curriculum Development and Implementation for a Youth Camp

Ashlee Nelson, MPH Student

University of North Dakota

Host Site: UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Topic: American Indian Teachers/Students, Creating a Pipeline for Health Sciences

Brianna Robles, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health (UNC)

Host Site: Larimer County Dept of Health and Environment

Topic: Sexual Health Needs Assessment/LGBTQ+ Youth

Chelsea Manzanares, MPH Student

University of Utah

Host Site: The Rape Recovery Center

Topic: Youth Violence Prevention

Cori Dowell, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health (CSU)

Host Site: Wyoming Department of Health, Rural and Frontier Health

Topic: Healthcare Provider Shortage - J-1 Visa Study (Recruitment of Foreign Physicians)

Crystal Hamblin, Graduate Degree in Nursing Leadership

University of Wyoming

Host Site: Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County

Topic: Suicide Screening Tool

Emily Bergling, DrPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: Rocky Mountain Prevention Resource Center - San Luis Valley

Topic: Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training (ACEs)

Erin Walls, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: Wyoming Department of Workforce Services

Topic: Occupational Health and Safety Data - Occupational Health Indicators

Hailey Purves, MPH Student

University of South Dakota

Host Site: Tanager Takeout (Vermillion, SD)

Topic: Food Access through School Based Food Pantry

Hannah Hove, MPH Student

North Dakota State University

Host Site: North Dakota State University

Topic: Drug Overdose Among Justice Involved Individuals in ND

Jennifer Jewell, DrPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: Population Mental Health and Wellbeing Program

Topic: Postpartum Depression – MODparents Prevention Program to decrease maternal depressive symptoms and improve wellbeing

Jordan Esplin, MPH Student

University of Utah

Host Site: University of Utah Hospital

Topic: Post-Surgical Decrease in Opioid Use Among Rural Patients

Kathryn Cochran, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health

Topic: Evaluation of the spatiotemporal relationship between oil & gas development and suicide in CO, 2008 – 18

Kendra DeHerrera, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: San Luis Valley Health Partnership (Rural)

Topic: Air Quality – increase air monitor systems and train communities how to interpret data on online air monitoring website

Noelle Coniglio, Undergraduate in Public Health

Montana State University

Host Site: Messengers for Health – Apsáalooke (Crow) Reservation

Topic: Health Education and Chronic Illness Management through Social Media

Paige Tolleson, Undergraduate in Public Health

Montana State University

Host Site: Three Forks High School (Gallatin County)

Topic: Community-engaged project to assess and increase local awareness of the health risks posed by harmful microorganisms, arsenic and potentially other contaminants, in private and possibly public drinking water sources of the rural Three Forks High School District

Rebecca Elderkin, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: Community Food and Agriculture Coalition

Topic: Healthy Food Access – SNAP program for low-income Montanans and MT Growers

Rachel Steinberg, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council and Epidemiology Center – Billings, MT

Topic: Health Education through Tribal College Students in MT and WY (Opioid Crisis)

Ryan Sealy, MPH Student

North Dakota State University

Host Site: First National Development Institute – Location: Longmont, CO

Topic: Supplementation of WIC program through Tribal food programs

Sara Jestrab, MPH Student

University of Montana

Host Site: Missoula City-County Health Department

Topic: Immunization Coalition-Building in Western MT

Shelby Kommes, MPH Student

University of South Dakota

Host Site: Health Connect of South Dakota

Topic: Increase Access to Health and Safety Screening and Education

Starlynne Gornail, DrPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health

Host Site: mHealth Health Impact Lab

Topic: Text Program for Adherence to Cardiovascular Medications (Urban and Rural Patients)

Tiffany Johnson, MPH Student

University of South Dakota

Host Site: University of South Dakota

Topic: Maternal/Child Health Needs Assessment

Morgan Turner, MPH Student

Colorado School of Public Health (CSU)

Host Site: Smart Fit Girls –Trinidad, CO

Topic: Single-sex Physical Activity and Youth Empowerment for Middle School Girls

Lauren Small Rodriguez, MPH Student

University of Montana

Host Site: Missoula Urban Indian Health Clinic

Topic: Indigenous Health Outreach – Health Education around Health Disparities in Indian Country

Lisa Dworak, MPH/MPA Student

University of Montana

Host Site: Missoula City-County Health Department – Missoula Health Invest Team

Topic: Health, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Viviana Deleon, MPH Student

University of South Dakota

Host Site: Community Connection Center

Topic: Development of Community Health Navigator Program

The goal of the Student Leaders in Public Health program is to enhance the public health workforce in the Rocky Mountain region, specifically in rural and under-served communities and populations, by supporting students conducting applied health projects and providing opportunities for mentoring and professional development.

During the 2019-2020 academic year (summer, fall, spring semesters), the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center will award 27 students in higher education $3,500 in financial support to assist with public health field placements and faculty-student collaborative projects. The program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Qualifications and Project Requirements

Student must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen U.S. national or foreign national possessing a visa permitting permanent residence in the U.S.
Student must be enrolled in a higher education program in Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota or South Dakota (Rocky Mountain Region). Preference will be given to students in a public health related program.
Student must complete the project within the Rocky Mountain Region.
Priority will be given to projects addressing public health issues in rural, medically underserved and/or disadvantaged communities.
Projects must involve at least 200 hours of effort and be substantially completed by June 30, 2020.
Upon completion of the project, the student will be required to complete three deliverables. (A paper and an abstract describing the project and its impact and a final online evaluation). There will also be an optional presentation.

To Apply: Complete the online application on Survey Monkey. To see what the questions look like, click here

Timeline: All 2019-20 students have been selected. Information regarding the 2020-21 academic year deadlines will be available later this spring

Questions? Contact Olivia Jolly, MPH, Practice‐Based Learning Manager, Olivia.jolly@cuanschutz.edu

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31683