APHA, Day 2: #FinishIt
Highlight on sessions:
On Monday we attended a session entitled: NextGen Tobacco Control Media Campaigns, sponsored by the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs working group. We attended this particular session because Donna Vallone from the Truth Initiative spoke in one of our classes last semester, so we were interested to hear what other organizations were doing regarding tobacco prevention.
This session included updates from the communication efforts of the FDA, CDC, and Truth Initiative in their mission to tackle smoking in the U.S. Presenters included the Director of the Office of Health Communication and Education at the Center for Tobacco Products (FDA), Kathy Crosby, Health Communications Branch Chief for the Office on Smoking and Health (CDC), Diane Beistle, and COO, Dave Dobbins, of the Truth Initiative on the campaign focusing on celebrating the 92 percent of non-smokers to create a movement to bring the last eight percent into the fold to #FinishIt.
All three of these campaigns are working diligently to end tobacco smoking in the US. Hearing from the leaders on these projects was not only informative but also inspiring.
Highlight on expo:
On the second day we walked around the expo separately and to speak with organizations that we were interested in. With our resumes and business cards in hand we, jumped into the lion’s den.
Not only did we meet with recruiters, but we also to learned about the companies and the amazing work they are doing. We spoke to non-profit and private companies alike, such as the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and Abt Associates.
Highlight on Columbia Mailman Alumni Event:
The Alumni and Friends Reception hosted by the Mailman School and Dean and DeLamar Professor Linda P. Fried was a great time to meet with fellow students, professors, and alumni.
Dean Fried welcomed us all and spoke about an important half-day session she led (with other Mailman professors) about the pressing issues of incarceration in the US and its impact on public health. Look out for more information on this topic from Mailman’s Incarceration and Public Health Action Network (IPHAN).
During our mix and mingle, we met alums working all over the country in various sectors of public health. We bonded on professors still working at Mailman and listened closely when they offered advice on finding careers. While listening to all of the alums experiences, we learned to not limit our job search after we graduate. There are a vast set of roles that constitute public health.
After a full day of exploring public health, we recharged our batteries with a delicious Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. And yes we finished it all.
By Samantha Herbert, Veronica Junghahn, and Jillian Racoosin
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