In the News: New course helps dual degree students develop professional identities

Ashley Bowman (Dec '16) presents in class.

Read about a new course designed to help dual degree students develop professional identities that incorporate the disciplines of public health and social work.  Sara Aho, School of Social Work Reporter, describes the students' experiences in the course.  Link to the full article.

Alumni Update – Melissa Middlebrook, MSW, MPH

Melissa Middlebrook has accepted a position beginning in March 2015 as an HIV Early Intervention Specialist at Coastal Horizons, Inc. in Wilmington, North Carolina.  Coastal Horizons promotes choices for healthier lives and safer communities by providing a continuum of professional services for prevention, crisis intervention, sexual assault victims, criminal justice alternatives, and treatment of substance use and mental health disorders.

Ms. Middlebrook will be supporting the Continuum of Care grant which will expand Coastal Horizons’ HIV services to include more outreach, testing, education and links to care.  Her main duties will be assisting with community early intervention and prevention services by performing HIV testing, HIV/STI/Hepatitis C education, and helping link individuals who test positive to care. 

In December 2014, Ms. Middlebrook graduated from the University of Georgia with a Master of Social Work, Clinical Concentration, and a Master of Public Health, Health Promotion and Behavior Concentration. She notes, “It is a really exciting time to come on board with Coastal Horizons and I am looking forward to it.  I will definitely be using my social work and public health skills that I gained from the dual degree program, as well as from my experiences at AIDS Athens.  This is exactly what I want to do and I am confident my past education and experience helped me get there.”

Congratulations Ms. Middlebrook!

Happy Holidays - A Virtual Pie from Athens Land Trust!

Amber Flanigan (Dec '15), a dual degree student who is already applying skills she's gained through the program to her position as Farm to School Coordinator at Athens Land Trust, sent us a virtual pie for the holidays.  Click here to get your own virtual pie.

Ms. Flanigan also led a project with fellow dual degree students Liz Franchot (Dec '15), Mark Flanagan (Dec '15), and Ali Fitzsimmons (Dec '15) as part of their coursework in HPRB 7500: Community Health.  They conducted community-based research for Athens Land Trust regarding the West Broad Farmer's Market which is hosted at the garden featured in the film.  The goal of the market is to reach residents of the Hancock Corridor Community that surrounds the West Broad Market Garden.

Flanigan notes, "We enjoyed engaging with members of this community and working with the Athens Land Trust."

Yum, thanks for the pie!

Meet our Fall 2014 Graduates

Tomorrow, five students will graduate with a MSW MPH dual degree.  Read more about each of them below.  Congratulations Graduates!

MPH Poster Day, December 2014.  From l to r:  Prashikshya Karki, Kelly Ryder, Hannah Demmitt, Melissa Middlebrook, Mumbi Mwaura

Hannah Demmitt, MSW, MPH (Dec ’14).  Ms. Demmitt completed her integrated public health and social work field placement at The Tree House, an organization working to strengthen communities by reducing the occurrence and impact of child abuse through counseling, educating, supporting and nurturing children and families.  There, she utilized public health skills to launch a community social marketing campaign against child abuse and assisted in the implementation of a new community-based program.  She utilized her social work skills to complete forensic interviews and provided individual counseling to children using trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

Ms. Demmitt’s career goals are to combine her compassion for children with her skills in public health by focusing her efforts on issues related to maternal and child health, either nationally or internationally.  Her interests include working to provide children access to basic needs such as clean water, vaccination, and a safe environment.  Ms. Demmitt’s passion for justice and equality is what keeps her focused and driven to achieve her lofty goals.

View Ms. Demmitt’s LinkedIn profile.

Prashikshya Karki, MSW, MPH (Dec ’14).  Ms. Karki completed her integrated public health and social work placement at Advantage Behavioral Health where she assisted in evaluation, quality improvement, and conducting needs assessments and other clinical activities in a drug court project, as well as participated in individual and group therapy sessions.

Ms. Karki is interested in mental health promotion and reduction of comorbidities and interactions between mental and physical (ill) health. 

Melissa Middlebrook, MSW, MPH (Dec ’14).  Ms. Middlebrook completed her integrated field placement at AIDS Athens where she assisted agency social workers in clinical case management and supportive services for clients and their families infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.  She also assisted with testing and prevention outreach throughout the community and collaborated with the local HIV clinic to conduct a social networks testing strategy to identify new positives to link to care. 

Ms. Middlebrook’s long-term goal is to work in the HIV/AIDS field, specifically in prevention education, outreach, and research.  She also plans to complete a yoga teacher training upon graduation in hopes of working with patients to apply the mind body connection to managing depression, anxiety, medical issues and pain management.

Visit Ms. Middlebrook’s LinkedIn profile.

Mumbi Mwaura, MSW, MPH (Dec ’14).  Ms. Mwaura will be joining the Direct Action and Research Training Center, Inc. as a Community Organizer in Daytona, Florida, in January 2015. 

In this role, she will help build power for justice by building relationships of trust among clergy and lay leaders from diverse backgrounds, deepen their participation in the work of their congregation's justice ministry, train them in basic community organizing skills, and engage them in research of viable solutions to community problems.

Ms. Mwaura completed her integrated public health and social work placement at Clarke County Early Head Start/ Head Start where she provided education, support, and training opportunities for parents whose children had chronic illnesses.  In addition, she assisted children and parents in meeting their health and family goals. 

View Ms. Mwaura's LinkedIn profile.

Kelly Ryder, MSW, MPH, CPH (Dec ’14).  Ms. Ryder will be joining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February 2015 as a fellow through the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) – Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development (DSEPD) Public Health Informatics Program.  She will support the design, development, and evaluation of a web-based and mobile user interface for the Information System for Mobile Immersive Learning Environment (I-SMILE) project.  The I-SMILE project will support the learning needs of fellows in applied training programs through by delivering a personalized, just-in-time curriculum.

Ms. Ryder is also Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. 

View Ms. Ryder’s LinkedIn profile.

Alumni Update - Kelly Ryder, MSW, MPH, CPH

Congratulations to Kelly Ryder (Dec ’14), who will be joining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February 2015 as a Fellow through the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (CSELS) – Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development (DSEPD) Public Health Informatics Program.  Ms. Ryder will support the design, development, and evaluation of a web-based and mobile user interface for the Information System for Mobile Immersive Learning Environment (I-SMILE) project.  The I-SMILE project will support the learning needs of fellows in applied training programs through by delivering a personalized, just-in-time curriculum.

DSEPD fellows have the opportunity to work and learn in diverse public health programs while receiving competency-based training, hands-on experience, and high quality mentoring.  The fellowship is a 12-month renewable appointment that includes a stipend and full benefits.

Ms. Ryder obtained the Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential through the National Board of Public Health Examiners.  Per the NBPHE, "the CPH designation demonstrates that an individual has mastered foundational competencies in public health.  CPH professionals raise the bar and enhance the public health profession through their exemplary academic and leadership skills."  To earn the CPH credential, students must have earned a master or doctoral public health degree from a school or program of public health that has been accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, and must pass the CPH exam.

When asked why she pursued the MSW/MPH, she said,  "While my interest in childhood obesity stems more into the public health realm, I opted to get both MSW and MPH degrees because I am mostly interested in working with underserved and underrepresented families who have an overweight or obese child. Obtaining both degrees prepares me to work with healthy behavior intervention at the individual and family levels and in obesity prevention at the population level."

Congratulations on these great achievements, Kelly!

MSW/MPH Fall 2014 graduates present their work at MPH Poster Day

Five MSW/MPH students who are slated to graduate this December (2014) presented their final capstone projects at the University of Georgia College of Public Health MPH Poster Day today.  Congratulations on your amazing accomplishments!




Hannah Demmitt (Dec '14) presented, "Positive Parenting Program social marketing campaign."

Kelly Ryder (Dec '14) presented, "Correlations between texting while driving and other risky behaviors among U.S. youth."

Melissa Middlebrook (Dec '14) presented, "Social networks testing, a community based HIV testing strategy."

Mumbi Mwaura (Dec '14) presented,  "Prenatal services for teenage expectant mothers at the Office of Early Learning."

Prashikshya Karki (Dec '14) presented, "Family network and mental health recovery, mental health clinician's perspective."

Alumni Update - Mumbi Mwaura, MSW, MPH (Dec '14)

Congratulations to Ms. Mumbi Mwaura who will begin a position as a Community Organizer at The Direct Action and Research Training Center, Inc. in Daytona, Florida, in January 2015.  DART-related organizations seek long-term, sustainable improvements at a systemic level.  Mumbi was accepted for a highly selective community organizing training and career placement program known as the DART Organizers Institute. 

In this role, she will help build power for justice by building relationships of trust among clergy and lay leaders from diverse backgrounds, deepen their participation in the work of their congregation's justice ministry, train them in basic community organizing skills, and engage them in research of viable solutions to community problems.  She will participate in an intensive five month field orientation that includes field training and a weekly reading/discussion curriculum covering basic organizing principles.

Ms. Mumbi is slated to graduate this month with an MSW Clinical Concentration and MPH Health Promotion & Behavior Concentration.

When asked why she pursued the MSW/MPH, she noted, "Though the disciplines may approach interventions with different strategies, I loved pursuing two degrees that aim to alleviate problems within our communities.  I also find it an invaluable skill to learn how to work in multidisciplinary environments."

Congratulations Mumbi on this fantastic achievement!