“This group of students have persevered under unprecedented circumstances. Their worlds were flipped upside down and they have hung in there, learning in new ways since March of 2020. This group has learned in real-time what it means to confront the failings of our system.” said USF College of Public Health’s Dean Donna Petersen. “We have a lot of choices to make in the coming years about healthcare, the value of work, our place in the global economy, climate change, systemic racism and how to prepare for a future pandemic but I’m not worried. You all are smart, capable, committed and passionate.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s graduation ceremony was presented virtually to family, friends, students, faculty and staff. Petersen delivered her address and congratulated the Summer 2021 graduating class in front of a camera instead of an audience. (Click here to watch the ceremony). 

This semester, 185 undergraduates, 61 masters and 8 doctoral students graduated and entered the public health profession. 

Every year, the COPH Excellence in Teaching awardee offers words of inspiration to the graduating class. This year’s speaker was Dr. Joe Bohn, assistant professor and director of community engagement and deputy director of the DrPH program.

“I have one final lesson for you all,” Bohn said. “Some of you know I have spent a little time on the dance floor these past four years, so I offer you four pillars of practice from my West Coast swing training that we can apply in your public health journey: timing, distance, connection and purpose.”

Timing

“Know when to start the dance if you are the leader and be ready to respond to a public health crisis when it happens,” Bohn said.

Distance

“Manage the distance with others on the dance floor. In your community, understand how distance impacts people and their access to the resources they need,” he cautioned.

Connection

“Pay attention to the connection with your partner in dance and find ways to connect better to your community, virtually and in-person,” Bohn continued.

Purpose

“Practice with intent—and in your community, practice your passion to help others in need,” he urged.

Dr. Alison Oberne, director of the BSPH program, also presented her end-of-the-year address to the graduating class.

“Did you know that only one-third of the U.S. population has a 4-year degree? It is no small feat to earn your degree, and amidst a pandemic it’s even more challenging and inspiring. It is a time where you were tested in more ways than one,” Oberne said. “You learned the value of self-determination through remote learning, the power of data literacy as we’ve been bombarded with information about COVID-19 and the election, and the creativity to find opportunities for community engagement at a time where in-person gatherings have been restricted.”

“I hope these challenges have made you stronger and helped you realize your passion and perseverance despite all obstacles you have faced and that you continue to overcome” she said.

Here are some of the stories from the Class of 2021:

Marina Martinez Rivera, MPH

Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marina Martinez Rivera moved to Gainesville, Fla in 2008. She earned her undergraduate degrees in public health and psychology from the University of Florida before moving to Tampa in 2019 to begin her master’s degree in behavioral health at the COPH.

“My passion in public health issues revolve around behavioral health with topics like mental health, substance use, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction approaches, LGBTQIA+ and youth/adolescent populations,” Martinez Rivera said. “With that in mind, I thought the behavioral health concentration was a great fit along with wanting to participate in the Institute of Translational Research in Adolescent Drug Abuse as I thought that was something of interesting to participate in and great experience.”

Martinez Rivera said that despite the impact of the pandemic, she did the best that she could to make the most out of her time in the MPH program.

“I made some good friends and developed my professional skills in any way I could. I think the college did the best it could to maneuver through the pandemic while retaining the standard that the college is known for,” she said. “I’m grateful to all the professors that did their best in modifying the curriculums to fit student’s needs and the circumstances we were working with.”

Martinez Rivera’s post grad plans are to continue working in public health and to find a position with a focus in behavioral health so that she can begin developing her professional skills.

“My dream job is a position where I can apply my skills in translational research and community engagement to improve behavioral health outcomes, reduce stigma and improve health equity for youth/adolescent populations, HIV/AIDS populations and/or LGBTQIA+ populations,” she said.

Rolando Trejos, MPH

Originally from Monagrillo, Panama, Rolando Trejos became introduced to public health while working as a program developer and coordinator for USF Health’s Office in Panama City under Dr. Arlene Calvo.

“During my time involved in the USF Health office in Panama, I saw the drive for changing the world for good. I was exposed to so many incredible projects and assets unique to the USF and even more to the USF COPH,” he said. “Out of those assets, the people and their passion for creating healthier communities was why I chose USF COPH for my MPH degree.”

As a student, Trejos was heavily involved with the COPH Activist Lab as both a student board member and graduate research assistant.

“As a member, we were able to tackle with evidence so many important topics like racism and COVID-19 by creating a pathway to deliver information from decision-makers, researchers and community-based organizations back into the general community and to our USF community,” he said.

During his time, he also was a graduate research assistant to the Public Health Interdisciplinary Center in a homelessness cross-college initiative with the Morsani College of Medicine’s Tampa Bay Street Medicine team, a volunteer for the USF Health Peace Corps, a volunteer for the COPH racism working group and a fellow for the Chiles Center.

Trejos’ post-grad plan is to enroll as a PhD student with the COPH.

“I hope to continue to expand my knowledge and skills in grantsmanship, teaching, mentoring, and translating research into practice, policy and tools applicable to communities, decision-makers and individuals,” he said. “My dream job is in academia as a full-time professor and researcher to provide a platform for individuals that have been pushed out of academia due to their sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion or any other category. I want to reclaim their space and have their voices heard and their input elevated so that science can truly become for everyone, not just a reflection of specific communities or individuals.”

Danielle Washington, BSPH

After overcoming adversity as a teenage mother, Danielle Washington graduated with her BSPH with a minor in infection control and specialization in nutrition.

“I became a teen mother to my first son who is now a teenager. I worked many jobs over the years to provide for us. I always wanted better and to prove naysayers wrong,” she said.  “I knew accomplishing my dreams of graduating college would happen if I kept going no matter how many times I failed.”

Washington said that one of the things she loved about USF was its course diversity and the flexibility to take online courses that allowed her to graduate on time.

“My favorite memory during my time at the COPH was taking the workforce course where I learned how to create a resume properly. This gave me the tools I needed to attract more employers,” she said.

Washington plans to attend graduate school to earn her master’s in public health with a specialization in health care management.

“I would like to open a health office that educates the public and also offers testing and routine lab work. I hope to own a health clinic and travel the world helping to solve global health issues,” she said. “I know that attending graduate school will help me go to the next level with owning my business. As a student at the COPH, I worked in groups to complete class projects so having a team will help me bring my vision to life. Teamwork always makes the dream work!”

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health