The USF College of Public Health (COPH) welcomed master’s and doctoral  students to a graduation ceremony presented at the college (and also livestreamed here) to family, friends, students, faculty and staff on Aug. 5.

Dr. Tricia Penniecook, COPH associate professor and vice dean for faculty affairs and development, began the ceremony what public health can do for the graduates and how it’ll change them for the rest of their lives. 

“What happens to the people who come through our halls and study to become a public health professional?” Penniecook said. “They change their world view from looking at an individual to viewing the community as a whole. Next, they start challenging their purpose. What are students going to do now that their world view has changed? Next is a change in lifestyle. Everything they do will start connecting with what they have learned in public health. Lastly, they will realize how important building relationships, support and credibility will be with their communities moving forward.”

Every year, the COPH Excellence in Teaching awardee offers words of encouragement to the graduating class. This year’s speaker was Patrick Rodriguez, instructor I.

“As you enter this next phase of your lives, we encourage you to remember the importance of being a lifelong learner. The field of public health is constantly evolving, and it is essential to stay up to date with the latest research, technologies and best practices,” he said. “We also encourage you to embrace diversity and inclusivity in your work, recognizing that health equity cannot be achieved without addressing the root causes of social and economic disparities.”

Dr. Janice Zgibor, professor and associate dean for academic affairs, rounded out the ceremony, presenting the Class of 2023 with their degrees and class gifts.

“I’m so proud of the accomplishments that you have made. It’s taken some time, but you did it. I had the privilege of reading all of your projects and you have made an impact on public health today as we speak,” Zgibor said.

While the graduate student ceremony was underway, the undergraduate studies team celebrated BSHS and BSPH graduates with a stop-in photo booth session before the USF Health ceremony at the USF Yuengling Center.

This semester, 263 undergraduates, 84 master’s degree and 12 doctoral students graduated and entered the public health profession.

Here are some of the stories from the Class of 2023:

Epiphany Jordan, MPH in social marketing

Epiphany Jordan is a multitalented professional from Nevada who said the COPH’s online MPH program with a concentration in social marketing made her feel like she’s graduating with three degrees.

It had been decades since the author, who also serves as caregiver to her mother, had been in school and the first time learning how to think like a scientist.

While testing rebranding strategies on nurturing connections, she fell in love with qualitative research and taking deep dives into the way people think.

“I entered the program not sure of what it entailed and felt a little strange being decades older than my peers,” she said. “But I succeeded in learning to leverage commercial marketing strategies to influence behaviors for the greater social good.”

Jordan soon realized her personal perspective and life experience outside public health were assets that brought welcome insight and empathy to the research she and her colleagues carried out. The support she received throughout the program validated her interest in redefining human touch as an integral part of health and wellness.

This new skillset has opened the door for Jordan to become a social marketing consultant for health agencies in Reno. As an author is working on a second book on nonsexual touch for couples.

“My ultimate goal is to bring human touch to the public’s awareness as a tool for helping us cope with the human and social aspects of climate change. In the short term, I think it can help with the loneliness epidemic,” Jordan said.

Natalia Babenko, MPH in global health practice

Born and raised in Mariupol, Ukraine, Natalia Babenko began working in the pharmaceutical field after completing her BS and MS in chemistry from Donetsk National University in Ukraine.

After seven years in pharmaceuticals, she said she reached a point in her career where her true passion became preventing diseases and decided to pursue the field of public health. She ultimately joined the COPH’s MPH program and decided on a concentration in global health practice.

During her time at the COPH, Babenko said she was most proud of the research she was able to conduct, especially after the pandemic.

“I am proud of conducting research on the predictors of anxiety and depression in health care workers and further developing a public health prevention initiative for doctors in the Dominican Republic to decrease anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “Being a public health student helped me develop personal stress-coping mechanisms, which then enabled me to develop population-based interventions for managing stress and anxiety in health care-related cohorts.

Babenko said that she enjoyed her time in the program and is looking forward to using her public health knowledge in her career.

“I would definitely recommend the program for students who want to develop foundational knowledge in public health and understand the intricacies of public health concepts and theories,” she said.

She is continuing her education at the USF School of Aging Studies in its doctoral program.

“I hope that the results of my research can be used in developing intervention campaigns for aging communities to improve mental health via active social engagement and connection in the community,” Babenko said.

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health