CHHS Alumni

College Honors Class of 2022 Graduates at Degree Celebration

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 23 May 2022 17:17:35 +0000

College Honors Class of 2022 Graduates at Degree Celebration Mary Cunningham Mon, 05/23/2022 - 13:17

In This Story

Congratulations, Class of 2022!

Graduates of the College of Health and Human Services Class of 2022 were honored during an in-person Degree Celebration at EagleBank Arena on May 22. We are pleased to resume the tradition of hosting in-person Degree Celebrations, and the celebration was live-streamed for those who could not attend.

Kim Holmes, associate dean for academic affairs, hosted the celebration and welcomed the graduates and their loved ones during opening remarks, followed by comments from Dean Germaine Louis, keynote speaker Karen Dale, and student speaker Deniz Lopez-Jimenez.

Holmes opened the program by acknowledging all the hard work that led students to this moment.

“Our graduates have made their mark on Mason and their neighboring communities. Many have spent countless hours working and training in local clinics, researching topics that will improve the health of others, leading student organizations, serving the community, and other important causes,” Holmes said. The College conferred 469 bachelor’s degrees, 270 master’s degrees, 34 doctoral degrees, and 21 graduate certificates, boasting a total of 794 spring 2022 graduates who received their degrees across six departments.

“Today, we want you to know that we see your efforts, we’ve seen you in the building on early mornings putting the finishing touches on assignments, meeting classmates; we see the challenges you’ve overcome, juggling work, family commitments, classes, internships, clinical hours; and in the end you all shared a common goal of helping and serving others by proving health and services can support health and wellness,” she continued. “Whether you know it or not, you challenge all of us to be better, push harder, and to chase our dreams. After all your hard work, today is our day to honor and celebrate you.”

Dean Germaine Louis and Keynote Speaker alumna Karen Dale

Dean Germaine Louis took the podium next to share that it was the students who inspired her to overcome her writing block and complete this speech only a few days ago.

“My block was because of the many challenges in the world that are facing our current graduates as well as future ones. And to me, at times, these challenges feel insurmountable,” said Louis. “How do we overcome global hunger, housing instability, health disparities driven by social inequities, hatred, violence, trauma, climate change, in over one million lives lost from COVID-19 infections in the US alone? I asked myself, are these challenges curable? Is it reasonable to ask today’s graduates and the ones to follow to be able to solve these problems that certainly my generation has not done?”

“I thought about our students in the college, across all disciplines...I easily remembered how incredible they are; Something their parents, family, and friends already know and know well,” Louis continued. “As health professionals, our students show up when need arises. Words cannot come close to expressing the great pride I have for our graduates and the faculty and staff who stand with them.”

“I found my renewed sense of hope in you. You can and will correct the wrongs of the world to innovate new paths forward and to deliver health equity irrespective of remaining challenges,” said Louis.

She also offered a few words of advice and hope.

“Remain intellectually curious with a willingness to learn to advance knowledge and deliver health innovations,” she said. “Remember together we can make health visible a reality for all. In the words of Mason’s president Gregory Washington, ‘It’s Mason’s Time and it gives me hope.’”

Bachelor of Nursing alumna Dale spoke to graduates about the importance of purpose. She is the market president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for AmeriHealth Caritas’ Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) in Washington, D.C. Dale was originally scheduled to address graduates at the May 2020 Degree Celebration which was canceled due to COVID-19, but returned this year to encourage graduates to find their individual motivations.

Dale shared that clarity of purpose helps us to be more resilient and have greater life satisfaction. She recommended these steps to find that clarity: Identify your unique gifts, have courage, be inclusive, and make decisions based on what’s right.

“This is the beginning of an opportunity for you to leverage your unique gifts, to find your purpose, to be a catalyst for good,” Dale said. “I wish you immense success in all your endeavors; and I hope you leave this ceremony with positive emotion in your heart, a focus on intentional engagement in all your relationships, a magnificent sense of urgency to define your meaning and purpose, and that you have the courage, the renewable courage, to lead in ways that help you to achieve yet unimagined accomplishments.”

Student Speaker Deniz Lopez-Jimenez

Lopez-Jimenez is a first-generation U.S. college student, who wanted to share his story of hope with his fellow graduates. He thanked his family and asked graduates to give their support networks and themselves a round of applause for all they have accomplished.

“In your future endeavors, I urge you to keep advocating for and helping others, persevering, and holding dear the value of the Mason experience. Go out there and make the world a better place! If you’re a first-generation college student, know that ‘Si se puede!’ You can do it! We can do it.”

After the ceremony, graduates, their families and friends, faculty, and staff were invited to a celebratory reception at Peterson Hall.

Congratulations to our newest alumni!

Check back in a few days for a slideshow of event photos.

To stay connected, all alumni are encouraged to become a part of the public health dialogue on the College’s social media channels: chhs.gmu.edu/news | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

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Mason Nursing Alumna, Deborah Bundy-Carpenter, Featured in The Scroll

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:46:19 +0000

Mason Nursing Alumna, Deborah Bundy-Carpenter, Featured in The Scroll John Brandon C… Tue, 06/01/2021 - 14:46

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Bundy Carpenter earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Mason in 1979.

Article originally published by Mason's Alumni Association.

For Deborah Bundy-Carpenter, BSN ’79, there was no doubt about going to George Mason University as soon as she decided she wanted to go into nursing. The program offered her the opportunity to pair hands-on clinical experience with the theoretical knowledge she would learn in the classroom, which would prepare her well for a career in nursing and public health. She also loved Mason’s diverse campus community, and it prepared her for caring for people from a variety of different backgrounds.

“All of the clinical experience we received at Mason taught us to get our hands dirty,” said Bundy-Carpenter, “and with that came lessons in humility that were really important.”

As a nursing student, she had clinical rotation placements at Fairfax Hospital (now a part of the Inova hospital system), the Arlington Health Department, DeWitt Army Hospital at Fort Belvoir, and in Manassas for public health rotations, where she was able to learn practical skills, like starting an IV and working in the delivery room. After graduating from Mason, Bundy-Carpenter worked in a pediatric unit in Charlottesville for a year before she began working at the University of Virginia’s medical center, where she largely worked in the operating room and emergency room.

“In the operating room, it was like all of the anatomy and physiology that I learned in school had come alive,” Bundy-Carpenter said. “It was such an education, especially at a trauma center like UVA, and being able to actually put eyes to what you had read about was one of my favorite things.”

After ten years at UVA, Bundy-Carpenter transitioned from the operating room to public health. As a nurse manager for the Virginia Department of Health, she was responsible for seven health departments across five counties in the Central Shenandoah Health District. In this role, she was responsible for engaging the various communities in the health district. Bundy-Carpenter traveled to communities to educate groups on public health initiatives, managed nursing and nutrition programs, wrote and managed the grants needed to fund local health programs, performed community needs assessments, and strategized with local coalitions to decide which health focuses needed to be prioritized in their communities. And while a lot of her work was administrative, Bundy-Carpenter also trained new public health nurses as part of their year-long orientation and continued with hands-on nursing herself, like administering flu shots. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Bundy-Carpenter, as a public health nurse senior manager, was tasked with leading the health district’s coronavirus response team. Her team has managed strategic planning for pandemic response, testing, contact tracing, community outreach, and now vaccination efforts.

“To this day, I still remember the nursing school’s mantra about self-care and people being their best selves,” said Bundy-Carpenter. “I still talk that talk with patients about self-care and reaching your optimal level of health.”

For all of her public health efforts, Bundy-Carpenter, received the highest honor for a state employee in Virginia: the 2020 Governor's Honor Award in the category of Personal and Professional Excellence. She was recognized for her dedication and excellence in her profession, public health, and collaborative spirit with other healthcare entities and agencies.

Bundy-Carpenter recently retired after more than thirty years of service with the Virginia Department of Health, but she is keeping busy by serving on the boards of local nonprofits organizations. She is currently studying to be a mentored counselor for hurting women.

Written By: Kristen Greiner, MFA '20

Three-time Mason Nursing Alumna, Theresa Davis, Featured in The Scroll

John Brandon Cantrell — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:07:57 +0000

Three-time Mason Nursing Alumna, Theresa Davis, Featured in The Scroll John Brandon C… Tue, 06/01/2021 - 14:07

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Mason Alumni

CHHS Alumni

Nursing Alumni

coronavirus; covid-19

Alumni Spotlight

CHHS News

Article originally published by Mason's Alumni Association.

Theresa Davis has earned a BSN (’98), an MSN in Nursing Administration (’02), and a PhD in Nursing (’13) from Mason.

As the clinical operations director of enVision TeleICU at Inova Health Systems, Theresa Davis, BSN ’98, MSN Nursing Administration ’02, PhD Nursing ’13, has been incredibly busy since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She leads the telemedicine division that supports the intensive care units across the Inova hospital system. Since last March, the ICU has grown from 61 beds to 102 beds as patient acuity increased and more resources were needed. Davis’ unit also became a transfer center to move patients across the hospital system as the need arose.

Davis has been a nurse for over thirty-five years. She earned her associate’s degree from Northern Virginia Community College before transferring to George Mason University, where she has earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, and the combination of working and learning throughout her career has been invaluable. Before the pandemic, Davis even taught classes on organizational learning and nursing informatics as an adjunct professor.

“I think being in school for a good part of my career has made my whole nursing experience very enriching because I love to learn, and it has allowed me to have a different way of looking at things and not get too focused in one area,” Davis said. “I grew up as a trauma nurse and I’ve been working in telemedicine for sixteen years. It’s been a very exciting adventure.”

Over the last year, hospital visitor guidelines became more restrictive due to COVID-19, making it difficult for family members to be at the bedside with their loved ones. This made the use of voice and video technology an essential capability. Over 1,000 iPads—some provided through donations to Inova—have been distributed across the Inova hospital system to support technology needs to bring families together.

“We connected families to their loved ones and clinicians to patients,” said Davis. “It was just incredible what you could do with the technology to create those connections.”

In addition to her role at Inova, Davis also had the opportunity to speak at the White House in March 2020 as a representative for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, where she is on the board of directors. Davis sat across the table from President Trump and Vice President Pence, where she had the opportunity to brief the Coronavirus Task Force and answer questions about the issues nurses were facing in the early days of the pandemic. After the meeting, President Trump signed an executive order that invoked the Defense Production Act to expedite the production of critical medical supplies.

A year later, as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, Davis looks to the future with hope. The pandemic has changed how she sees the world—after such a turbulent year, it will take time to fully heal and become whole again, but she sees it as a chance to learn and grow as we enter our new normal. One way Davis plans to do this is by promoting diversity and working towards eliminating disparities and unconscious bias in healthcare. Inova has created many opportunities for this important work.

“I think that we have great opportunity to look at our future and the new world and what it should look like, and what we’ve learned,” said Davis. “We have to make sure all patients receive the care that they need, no matter who they are or where they come from. We have to think strongly about what we’ve just gone through and how we can create a better world for everybody. We will get through this!”

Written By: Kristen Greiner, MFA ’20

On the Front Lines: Continuing Public Mental Health Care Amid COVID-19

mthomp7 — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:24:51 +0000

On the Front Lines: Continuing Public Mental Health Care Amid COVID-19 mthomp7 Thu, 04/30/2020 - 14:24

By Darcy Kim

Darcy Kim is a Master’s in Public Administration student in the Schar School’s Northern Virginia Public Service Fellows Program and an alumae of the College of Health and Human Services Department of Social Work (BSW).

What does it mean to be a public servant during a global pandemic? It isn’t easy, but it’s important.

I’m a Behavioral Health Supervisor in the Behavioral Health Outpatient Program at the Fairfax County Community Services Board (CSB), responsible for a team of seven clinicians. I am also a graduate school student, a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a friend.

Through the work of my group, the county provides care for 230 people that are receiving treatment for issues related to severe mental illness or substance abuse disorders. We are very much the community’s safety net: If we don’t perform effectively, the community and other public services see large impacts. At a time when resources for local government are stretched, we must continue to support the individuals we serve, as well as our local government partners—such as first responders.

The CSB provides sliding scale care, which allows our treatments to be affordable to those who face hardships in paying. Case management and individual therapy are services we can provide through Zoom or phone appointments during this period of self-quarantine.

But there are some services the CSB cannot provide remotely, such as medication clinic services, including lab work and antipsychotic medication injections. Some clients on specific medications require weekly blood draws and need to be seen in person. We also prescribe and dispense medications like Suboxone, for opioid addiction treatment, which require medical provider monitoring. To complicate things, those in a psychiatric crisis or those with paranoia/delusions around the use of electronics—yes, it happens—have difficulty with use of technology and online tools. Many individuals we serve don’t have mobile phones, computers, or other types of electronics, and have no other way to access our services other than in person.

My team is incredibly dedicated to supporting the individuals they serve. As COVID-19 increasingly affects our community, clinicians are most concerned about mitigating the possible damage to our most vulnerable clients. They’re not only concerned about our clients, but also about the transmission to clients’ immediate family members, some of whom may have underlying health issues.

The leadership of an organization must pay close attention to the message their actions send. In my experience, a critical element in managing a team’s concerns is actively listening to their concerns and providing clear, consistent, and concise communication. This is especially important during chaotic times such as this global pandemic.

My definition of “community” is inclusive of those we serve, as well as those providing service—our staff. Looking after care providers’ emotional and physical health is critical to providing better service delivery, and this is something I strongly advocate for every day in my job. Ensuring caregivers’ health can easily be overlooked when pursuing the goals of productivity, yet I find it’s really not hard to find a balance once you’ve realized the importance of including providers in the definition of “community.” This balance is critical in managing everyone’s safety and really one of the only ways to ensure providers can continue to provide the essential services we deliver in a crisis.

To be a public servant means being dedicated to the communities we serve by making the best decisions possible to ensure people receive the care they need—especially at a time when individuals may need our support the most.

My job in the Community Services Board requires communication, expertise, advocacy, partnership, patience, experience, calm, self-care, and—for me—chocolate.

Sharon Lamberton Awarded Distinguished Alumna of the Year from George Mason University College of Health and Human Services

mthomp7 — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 20:14:34 +0000

Sharon Lamberton Awarded Distinguished Alumna of the Year from George Mason University College of Health and Human Services mthomp7 Thu, 04/16/2020 - 16:14

“Sharon is our first graduate of the MS in Health Policy – a degree that she helped us envision. She is a leader in her industry and a willing mentor to Mason students even today. The credibility that she has established with state and federal legislators is a testament to her knowledge and professionalism. She is very deserving of this honor."

Dr. P.J. Maddox

Lamberton emphasizes the role of the mentors and professional network cultivated at Mason

Mason alumna Sharon Brigner Lamberton (MS, Health Policy '01) wanted to build on her experience as a neurology nurse at the National Institutes of Health to advocate on behalf of patients’ health. To do this, she knew she needed to build the knowledge and credibility to navigate the legislative and policy process at the Capitol or at state Capitols across the country. Lamberton knew that the best way to gain this unique blend of skill and scholarship was to earn a master’s degree from George Mason University—but she wasn’t quite sure exactly which classes would put her on the path to success because there wasn’t exactly a degree to become a lobbyist.

Enter Dr. P.J. Maddox, chair of the Health Administration and Policy department at the College. “P.J. helped me look outside the box of traditional degrees and helped me tailor and personalize a track that helped me achieve my goals. She listened to me—even when I couldn’t articulate exactly what I wanted to accomplish-- and she battled on my behalf to make it happen," says Lamberton.

“Sharon is our first graduate of the MS in Health Policy – a degree that she helped us envision. She is a leader in her industry and a willing mentor to Mason students even today. The credibility that she has established with state and federal legislators is a testament to her knowledge and professionalism. She is very deserving of this honor,” says Dr. P.J. Maddox.

The hard work paid off and Lamberton found career success as a health policy analyst at the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security—culminating in becoming the deputy vice president of state policy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a trade association of 35 biopharmaceutical companies in Washington, D.C. She brings her clinical care and policy experience to the table in her work with the National Governors’ Association, National Foundation of Women Legislators, American Association of Nurse Practitioners and other groups on important issues like prescription drug misuse, adherence/care coordination, insulin affordability and drug pricing.

Lamberton was not able to receive the distinguished alumni award in person due to COVID-19—a disease that PhRMA and its members are fighting head-on. PhRMA members, who are often rivals, are now collaborating to find treatments and immunizations and to address the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

“I attribute my success to mentors like Drs. P.J. Maddox, Len Nichols, and Mary Wakefield who took time to help mold me and my professional goals early in my career."

Sharon Lamberton

“The pharmaceutical industry is the hope and future for eradicating this virus. There is no way we would have promising vaccine candidates in trial this quickly if we had not invested in a robust pipeline for the past decade. It took 20 months to bring a SARS vaccine candidate to clinical trial, and for COVID-19 it has taken just three months and we have 333 clinical trials underway for treatments or vaccines for this virus,” says Lamberton. She is currently helping educate lawmakers on the ways in which the pharmaceutical industry is working to eradicate this virus and prepare for rapid dissemination of treatments and vaccines once approved, which is a tremendous public health challenge to ensure access.

“I attribute my success to mentors like Drs. P.J. Maddox, Len Nichols, and Mary Wakefield who took time to help mold me and my professional goals early in my career, as well as the work experience and knowledge gained by working for Dr. Wakefield and with Marcia Bearo during graduate school at the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics on rural health issues. We need to brag more about Mason’s amazing faculty so alumni can see who is teaching, the unique classes they offer, and personalize for the student and where the research is being utilized once completed,” says Lamberton. She remains active in the Mason community by presenting at the annual Health Policy Institute, mentoring Mason students through practicum assignments and internships, and collaborating on alumni development efforts for the College.

Lamberton received a BS in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University and serves on many boards including Women in Government Business Council, National Student Nurses Association, and the National Foundation for Women Legislators. She lives with her husband, John (a former Navy captain and healthcare administrator) and 15-year-old son in Arlington, Virginia.

Thank You for Your Support on Giving Day – We Are Continuing Our Efforts to Keep Students at Mason

dhawkin — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 19:40:40 +0000

Thank You for Your Support on Giving Day – We Are Continuing Our Efforts to Keep Students at Mason dhawkin Fri, 04/10/2020 - 15:40

On Giving Day, April 2, 2020, the Mason community came together in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to support students in financial crisis. Together, we received more than 130 gifts totaling more than $27,000 to help CHHS students stay at Mason.

Over 50% of donations received were from CHHS faculty and staff members; a true embodiment of “Patriots Helping Patriots”. Odette Willis, faculty member in the School of Nursing shared that she supports this fund because “sometimes a little extra assistance can go a long way” for a student in need.

These funds can help students purchase groceries, pay for rent, or cover other costs to ensure CHHS students don’t have to drop out of school due to financial obstacles. With your contributions, we will be able to offer aid where it is needed most.

To date, CHHS has received 16 applications to the CHHS Student Emergency Assistance Fund, requesting a total of $13,600 dollars. While we have made significant progress toward our goal, the need has risen significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we anticipate additional applications in the coming months.

We will be continuing to collect donations to help these students in financial crisis. If you didn’t get a chance to make your gift and would still like to participate, please visit our giving page. If you have already donated, thank you – we truly appreciate your dedication to CHHS students and we hope you will let others know how they could help support the future health workforce.

A Thank You from the Dean: To Our Nurses, Social Workers, Public Health Professionals, and Others Battling This Pandemic

dhawkin — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 21:37:33 +0000

A Thank You from the Dean: To Our Nurses, Social Workers, Public Health Professionals, and Others Battling This Pandemic dhawkin Tue, 04/07/2020 - 17:37

Mason faculty and staff pictured outside the Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinic responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Liz McGrath, MAP Nurse Practitioner; Rebecca Sutter, co-director of the MAP Clinics; Bridget Jennison MAP Clinic Coordinator)

Dear Mason Colleagues, Students, and Alumni:

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the best in so many and has provided countless opportunities for leadership, community spirit, and generosity. I am so very proud of the work that all our alumni, students, staff, and community partners are doing to combat this disease. It will take all of us to prevail.

I wanted to take a moment to spotlight the work of our nursing and public health workers–faculty, staff, students, and alumni–who are helping deliver health care in our community. Our MAP Clinics and Population Health Center have rapidly expanded telehealth services at this time of crisis to make a difference in the lives of many, including our most vulnerable populations. While our care related to COVID-19 is front and center, I’ve not lost track of the importance of managing complex chronic diseases, substance misuse and preventive services among so many other issues.

As we celebrate the Year of the Nurse and Midwife in 2020, I think back to the start of my career as a nurse where I worked largely in surgical specialty units and renal dialysis. Since I was in school full-time, I worked second shift and had limited resources relative to the day shift, despite it being the time of day when many patients’ health took a turn for the worse.

Watching the news has made me realize how many resources I actually had at my disposal relative to what nurses and others have to work with today in battling this pandemic. Across all outbreaks and pandemics, nursing and public health workers are essential in not only controlling spread but in helping affected individuals and communities recover. Nursing and social work are time-honored professions. Throughout the 21^st century, annual Gallup polls report that nurses have the top rankings for ethics and honest—higher than that for physicians, pharmacists or dentists. A recent Gallup poll reported that “…the nursing profession continues to serve as the very lifeblood and connective tissue of the U.S. healthcare system.” All of you are a part of this fabric.

To all faculty, staff, and alumni continuing to practice your profession and to our students faced with learning skills that earlier cohorts escaped, I applaud you. Be safe, be well and know you’re appreciated.

With pride and thanks,

Germaine

Germaine M. Louis, PhD, MS
Professor and Dean
College of Health and Human Services

A Message to Alumni from Germaine Louis, Ph.D., M.S., Dean of the College of Health and Human Services

mthomp7 — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 16:00:22 +0000

A Message to Alumni from Germaine Louis, Ph.D., M.S., Dean of the College of Health and Human Services mthomp7 Mon, 03/23/2020 - 12:00

Dear Alumni,

As Mason’s community of alumni, students, faculty, and staff learn to live in the “new normal” created by the COVID-19 pandemic, I am writing to express hope that you are doing well and to update you on the measures the College of Health and Human Services community is taking to care for those in need and help flatten the curve.

As the world combats this pandemic, I believe it’s also increasingly important to put a spotlight on the (often hidden) work of public health and the importance of the public’s health infrastructure that underlies us all – thanks, in part, to the work of College alumni like you.

Our Mason and Partner Clinics remain a resource to the community during this tumultuous time, expanding their telehealth capabilities and providing screening for COVID-19 at some locations. Students in this College continually inspire me with their resolve and creativity in the face of adversity—including our social work students who founded and manage a burgeoning Facebook Group of nearly 10,000 members dedicated to helping people in Northern Virginia find necessary supplies.

More than 1,400 students will continue to serve in internships and clinicals--in many instances directly addressing the current pandemic. Thank you to those alumni who act as preceptors and provide field placement opportunities to a fellow Patriot.

Our research faculty have also been on the frontlines in educating the public on the current pandemic—a role they have played in previous infectious disease outbreaks. Dr. Amira Roess, professor in the Department of Global and Community Health (GCH) studies how strains of the MERS-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) spread among humans and animals. By understanding disease emergence, Roess’ research—and the work of an army of academics and practitioners—helps inform public health responses and future best practices. Dr. Kathryn Jacobsen, also a GCH professor, studies the emergence of diseases like SARS, Zika and Ebola and how information and misinformation spread during emerging infectious disease events.

These are just a few examples of the public health workforce at the College and beyond. Our ranks are filled with alumni, faculty, staff, and students who are in the trenches at this moment tackling COVID-19, working behind the scenes advocating for health policy changes, or even fighting the next public health emergency before it happens.

This week, we have transitioned more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students to virtual learning. This is a massive undertaking on the part of faculty and students—and the entire College is committed to the success of our students. Even in “normal” circumstances, many of our students require assistance with basic items such as internet access, housing, and food--and these needs are made worse by the current pandemic. To help students in need, we have initiated a Student Emergency Assistance Fund to ensure that every student can continue with their studies at Mason. Please consider giving to support a student, if you can.

Please stay in touch and let us know how you are doing in these unprecedented times—and how you are bringing the skills and experience you gained at Mason to meet the unique challenges we face today.

With gratitude and wishes for good health,

Germaine Louis, Ph.D., M.S.
Dean and Professor
College of Health and Human Services
George Mason University

Five College of Health and Human Services Graduate Programs Rank in the Top 100 According to US News & World Report

dhawkin — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 18:36:43 +0000

Five College of Health and Human Services Graduate Programs Rank in the Top 100 According to US News & World Report dhawkin Fri, 03/20/2020 - 14:36

The College of Health and Human Services is pleased to announce that five of the College’s graduate programs are ranked within the top 100 of their discipline, as recognized in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of graduate programs. Two programs, the Master of Health Administration (MHA) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), rank within the top 50 in their respective discipline.

“Strong, transdisciplinary master’s and doctoral programs help our College, students, faculty, alumni, and community partners advance our mission to improve the health and well-being of all populations. Rankings are recognition of our ongoing commitment to offering the best graduate education,” says Germaine M. Louis, PhD, MS and Dean of the College of Health and Human Services.

Based on 2021 rankings, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and DNP programs remain in the top 60 of their discipline, ranking #51 and #40 respectively.

Based on the 2020 rankings, the most recent data available: the MHA maintains its ranking at #33 and the Master of Public Health (MPH), which includes six concentrations, debuted at #78, ranking higher than seven fully accredited standalone schools of public health. The Master of Social Work remains in the top 100 programs, tied with 24 other schools at #96.

CHHS offers twelve graduate degrees, and eight certificate programs. The College is transitioning to become a global college of public health in the near future. The College also offers five undergraduate degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in Community Health, which is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health

The (Often) Hidden Work of Public Health: A Reminder from COVID-19

dhawkin — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 23:36:58 +0000

The (Often) Hidden Work of Public Health: A Reminder from COVID-19 dhawkin Wed, 03/18/2020 - 19:36

Click Here for COVID-19 Updates from CHHS

A Public Health Message from the Dean

The power of public health is that it is largely invisible when it's working well--allowing us to go about our daily activities without concern for the safety of our food and water, fresh air to breathe, and the ability to greet one other with hugs or handshakes. Our ability to overlook these gifts reflects the public health’s infrastructure that underlies each of us. Such invisibility has its cost, as public health can be taken for granted or minimized, especially in the times of budget cuts or competing priorities. Unlike high tech devices or designer drugs that have direct marketing campaigns aimed at targeted populations, public health measures are often not glitzy and can be overlooked, except when the public’s health is threatened.

Life as most of us knew it has changed, possibly forever. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all aspects of life and higher education, and most of us have little to no experience managing or living through pandemics, until now. Thankfully, however, there are people with leadership and public health experience who have helped affected populations come through past outbreaks and pandemics. To this end, it is comforting to know that we do have professionals with necessary knowledge and expertise to help combat the current pandemic. The changes in our life came upon us suddenly following an announcement on January 30, 2020 from the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) who declared the COVID-19 outbreak a “… public health emergency of international concern.” Shortly thereafter on March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

During this time of uncertainty, best public health practices offer solutions for minimizing exposures and preventing infections. Each of us has the ability to minimize exposure through social distancing, forgoing handshakes, and coughing and sneezing into our elbows. These low-tech but efficacious behaviors protect both you and others by minimizing exposure and slowing the spread of infection in our communities. If we follow these measures faithfully and stop the spread of COVID-19, many will be tempted to say these steps were unnecessary or an over-reaction. Such irony underscores the invisibility of public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in conjunction with public health partners is working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to respond to this pandemic on all fronts. Guidance is available to help protect yourself and family members.

The College of Health and Human services is transitioning to become a college of public health pending SCHEV’s approval of our PhD in Public Health degree program. Our revised application submitted mid-January 2020 is the last Commonwealth step in advancing our transition to become a college of public health. Now, as in the future, our College is working with our many partners to make health visible for all the communities we serve.

There is so much more to health than the absence of disease. Health helps foster individual well-being and is an economic driver at all levels. We have the power to stop the pandemic, and each of us can help by incorporating simple public health practices in our everyday lives. The virus is small in comparison to the size of our community and its many abilities.

For the latest Mason operational updates about COVID-19/Coronavirus, visit gmu.edu/coronavirus.