Faculty Spotlight, Dr. Titilola Balogun, Public Health Program
Dr. Titilola Balogun, MBBS, MPH, DrPH, is the Assistant Director of Public Health Practice for the Graduate Programs in Public Health in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies here at the University of New England. In this post, Dr. Balogun talks about her role in the program, how she supports our students, and what skills she feels are most important for a public health career. Can you tell me a little about your background and what drew you to UNE Online? I started my career as a medical doctor, practicing clinical medicine. While I was working in a hospital in Nigeria, I began to notice a trend in my patients, who were primarily children. I would treat the children, they would get well, go back home, and then come back a few months later with exactly the same ailments that they were admitted for the first time. I began to realize that the problem had more to do with… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | MPH Faculty SpotlightWhat is the difference between Applied Practice Experience (APE) and the Practicum?
To get the inside scoop on the Applied Practice Experience and the Practicum, we spoke with Dr. Titilola Balogun, MBBS, MPH, DrPH, the Assistant Director of Public Health Practice for the Graduate Programs in Public Health in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies here at the University of New England. Dr. Balogun supports students who are about to begin their Practicum or Applied Practice Experience. What is the difference between Applied Practice Experience (APE) and the Practicum? The Practicum is the version of the public health field experience that we had before the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), our accrediting body, came up with updated requirements. The Practicum requirements are simply that the student needs to complete a minimum of 120 hours in the field, and must meet a minimum of five competencies. The Practicum is taken in the final semester in the student’s program, and it’s the last requirement a student completes before they graduate with… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | public healthAmbassador Spotlight: Tannaz Safari Vejin, MPH Program
Tannaz Safari Vejin earned her MPH during the gap years she took between pre-med and med school. Here, she talks about what she feels is an important skill set to master during the program, and how she feels getting her MPH has given her an edge. UNE Online Ambassadors have been recognized by the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for being exemplary students and enthusiastic members of the UNE Online community. UNE Online Ambassadors serve as liaisons between our extended community and UNE Online, setting a precedent and standard for what it means to be a UNE Online student and community member. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Public Health? As a pre-med student preparing for med school, I was working in a hospital medicine program at UCSF, doing research. I was looking for an academic program to keep me engaged while I built on my application… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | public healthMeet Our Team: Hanya Phillips
Meet Hanya Phillips, an Enrollment Counselor at UNE Online. After graduating from the University of Maine with a BS in Child Development and Family Relations, Hanya worked in a number of different fields, including women’s health, early childhood education, customer support, and admissions before joining the UNE Online in the fall of 2018. A former UMaine cheerleader and team co-captain, Hanya continues her leadership and passion for the sport as a Coach at the competitive cheerleading program Elite All Stars of Maine. At UNE Online students are our top priority, and their success is what drives each and every one of us to do what we do. Our Team Spotlights are a series of blog posts that share a little bit about the people that are dedicated to providing our students with an excellent experience, every day. What do you do at UNE Online? I am an Enrollment Counselor for our Graduate Programs in Public Health. Where are you from? I… Read More >
Tags: enrollment counselor spotlight | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | public health | Team SpotlightUNE Online Graduate Programs in Public Health at MPHA 2018
MPHA 2018 was a HUGE success! This year, the Maine Public Health Association (MPHA) Annual Meeting and Expo was held in Augusta, ME and there were about 400 public health professionals from within and outside Maine in attendance, including our very own UNE Online Graduate Programs in Public Health (GPPH) faculty, staff, students and alumni. This year’s Annual Meeting theme was Addiction and the State of Public Health in Maine, which contributed to the topic of discussion in general sessions, scientific sessions, and presentations. Below, we’ve summarized a few of the sessions presented by our team at this year’s MPHA meeting. Prevalence and Correlates of Cigarette Smoking among High School Students in Maine Titilola Balogun, DrPH and current MPH student Tiffany Corvino (in collaboration with staff of UNE’s Center for Excellence in Health Innovation and Maine CDC) presented a poster titled “Prevalence and Correlates of Cigarette Smoking among High School Students in Maine.” The study used data from the 2017… Read More >
Tags: conference | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | public healthGraduate Programs in Public Health at UNE Online: An Overview
There is a critical need for professionals with public health degrees today. The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) estimates that by the year 2020, the United States will be facing a shortfall of at least 250,000 public health workers. If you’re interested in improving the lives of others through building one-on-one relationships, conducting research or analyzing numbers, public health may be the field for you. Public health students are diverse and dedicated people who demonstrate a passion for improving public health. Public health graduates can find employment in the public or private sector, within non-profit organizations, or in health departments at the local, state, and federal levels. The University of New England offers two fully articulated online graduate programs in public health. Working adults and post-baccalaureate students can now earn a Master of Public Health degree (MPH) or a Graduate Certificate in Public Health (GCPH) full or part-time, with all of the courses offered 100% online. These convenient,… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | public healthProgram Director Spotlight: Nang Tin Maung, Public Health Program
Dr. Nang Tin Maung is the Program Director for the Graduate Programs in Public Health at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies here at the University of New England. She talks about her experience in public health, how she encourages her faculty to foster a sense of community, and how she feels that the program prepares students for life after graduation. Can you tell me a little about your background and what drew you to UNE Online? I have a BA in Biology from Simon’s Rock College, a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and an MPH in Global Health from Harvard School of Public Health. I decided to make a full career transition into public health after working in a science laboratory for many years. Because of this, when I went back to school to get an MPH, I had limited work experience in public health. My practicum advisor was extremely helpful as… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | MPH | MPH Faculty Spotlight | public healthCGPS Team Presents at CETL Faculty Workshop
Each year, the University of New England’s Center for the Enrichment of Teaching and Learning (CETL) offers mini-grants to support research into the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) to faculty and staff. In Spring 2017, Titi Balogun, Practicum Coordinator for the Graduate Programs in Public Health at UNE Online, convened a team of co-investigators to create an application for research funding for this program. Joining Titi were Sharla Willis, Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator for the Graduate Programs in Public Health at UNE Online, and Richard Parent, Director of Assessment at UNE Online. The goal of the project, which is the first College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS) proposal to receive funding through this program, was to gain insight into the perceptions of students in the Graduate Programs in Public Health (GPPH) field practicum experience and their supervising preceptors. The data obtained were used to redesign the Master of Public Health (MPH) practical experience. Brianna Parsons, Research Coordinator for… Read More >
Tags: assessment | CETL | Graduate Programs in Public HealthAmbassador Spotlight: Emily Bartlett, MPH Program
UNE Online Ambassadors have been recognized by the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for being exemplary students and enthusiastic members of the UNE Online community. UNE Online Ambassadors serve as liaisons between our extended community and UNE Online, setting a precedent and standard for what it means to be a UNE Online student and community member.Can you tell me a little about your background, and why you chose to earn your MPH at UNE Online? I’m from Maine, so I’ve known about UNE for a long time now. I got my undergraduate degree at The University of King’s College in Nova Scotia, majoring in International Development with a minor in Health. After graduation I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted to continue my education in the health field. During my undergrad I took a course in epidemiology, which ended up being my favorite class. I loved the material potential, so I looked… Read More >
Tags: 12 Days of Online Learning | Ambassador Spotlight | Graduate Programs in Public Health | MPH | MPH Student Spotlight | public health | Student SpotlightChanges in the MPH Curriculum at UNE Online
The Graduate Programs in Public Health at UNE Online is pleased to announce changes to the MPH curriculum for students who started in or after May 2018. These changes are to make sure that our curriculum aligns with new competencies published by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in 2016, and to improve student outcomes. That said, if you began your program earlier, it would still be beneficial to review the changes to the MPH curriculum and follow the suggested order of classes, which is designed to enhance your learning and success. Other changes have taken place program-wide or within electives, and are of benefit to all students no matter when you began your studies with UNE Online. Read more: CEPH Accreditation in UNE Online Public Health Programs Changes required for MPH students only These curriculum changes are required only for students pursuing their Master’s of Public Health (MPH). Students who are enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master’s in Public Health | MPHHow to Find a Public Health Practicum Site
Everyone needs to complete a practice experience, but finding a practicum site can be a challenge. Recently we sat down with Dr. Titilola Balogun to discuss best practices in finding a practicum site that fits your professional goals. Begin with the end in mind The number one piece of advice when thinking about your practicum placement is to think about what you want to do with your MPH. Looking for a practicum is very similar to searching for a job. Actually, it’s the exact same process – and in many cases, it’s easier to find a practicum than it is a job because many health departments and public health organizations are generally happy to have students willing to work in exchange for mentoring and a real-world experience. Some opportunities are paid, but there is no guarantee of payment. In fact, the search for a practicum site is a good test run for actually looking for a public health job. How… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | UNE OnlineCareer Services for the Graduate Programs in Public Health
Career Services in the Graduate Programs in Public Health at UNE Online is a resource dedicated to supporting the career success of graduate public health students through individual career counseling, development, and online training workshops. Career Services facilitates the connection of UNE Public Health students with the resources and skills they need to drive their career development. We spoke to Jennifer Healy, Public Health Career Services Advisor, about her steps toward developing this program, and her vision for its future. “I think it’s important to get students thinking about career possibilities right from the start,” says Healy. To this end, she is currently working on writing and producing the curriculum for a series of career workshops, targeted specifically to students who are newly entering the program. Written communication and networking UNE Online’s goal is to set students up for success, right from the outset. So the initial course students will take through Career Services revolves around written communication, networking, informational… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | public healthWhy Work in Public Health? Ten Reasons to Choose a Public Health Career
The field of public health is burgeoning with growth and opportunities. Work in public health is constantly evolving in response to the needs of populations around the world – because at its core public health deals with the issue of the health of people and their communities. Public health workers work to improve the conditions and behaviors that affect health. Broadly speaking, they track, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks, promote healthy lifestyles, research disease and injury prevention, and work to limit health disparities. Public Health is everywhere, and public health initiatives affect people every single day in virtually every part of the world. The reasons people choose to work in public health are as diverse as the people themselves. Why work in public health? Here are 10 reasons, from UNE Online: Job Opportunity – The job market is on the rise and the demand for workers will continue to grow. The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | public | public healthFaculty Spotlight: Jennifer Healy – Public Health Program
Jennifer Healy is Public Health Career Services Advisor for the Graduate Programs in Public Health. We sat down with her recently to talk about her role and how she supports students in the public health program. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and what drew you to UNE Online? I’ve had a varied career path – going from consumer goods brand management, to healthcare administration, and then teaching, advising, and career counseling. When I was teaching undergraduates, I enjoyed mentoring and learning from students. I’ve always enjoyed working with people and helping them figure out their goals and then how to identify the steps they need to take to realize those goals. I joined UNE Online this winter as the Public Health Career Services Advisor for the Graduate Programs in Public Health, and so far UNE Online has been a great fit! I’ve been able to really draw from my diverse background to fill a pretty… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | MPH Faculty SpotlightStudent Spotlight: Dr. Puneet Saini, MPH Program
Dr. Puneet Saini is a native of Madison, WI, and a second-year MPH student at UNE Online. Having completed his M.D., he is looking to complement and add more value to his education, and also delve more deeply into the realms of public administration and policy-making in order to bring about change on a global level. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Public Health? I was born in America and come from a multi-cultural family. Growing up in this diverse mix of different ethnicities and cultures made me very aware of the world, and I learned early on to respect other people’s values, ideas, and ways of life. I come from a family of doctors, and I graduated medical school myself, but at some point, I realized that something was missing. I wanted to see what else was out there, so after doing some research, I felt that… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | MPH Student Spotlight | Student SpotlightGPPH Volunteer Week Challenge, Winter 2017
UNE Online’s Graduate Programs in Public Health (GPPH) recently held our first Volunteer Week challenge! Our goal was to encourage UNE students and public health professionals everywhere to facilitate meaningful community service activities with a public health focus. The UNE GPPH community shared photos of how they gave back this season, and we created a special Facebook album, titled #uneonlinegivesback just for these photos. We were definitely inspired by what we received. As an added bonus we proposed a contest to our GPPH students – a free textbook for the best photo submission. MPH student Jensen was the winner with her adorable photo volunteering for the Rescued n’ Ready Animal Foundation in Tulsa, OK. The GPPH Team Gives Back! Not only did we encourage others to give back during our first Volunteer Week Contest, we collaborated with Partners for World Health in Portland, Maine to volunteer as a team for an afternoon. The group that participated consisted of Public Health… Read More >
Tags: GPPH | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPHMeet Our Team: Emily Roach
Emily Roach is a Portland transplant who hails from the great Midwest state of Ohio. She is a Buckeye through and through, but she’s slowly becoming a Red Sox nation convert. Emily is a rockstar Student Support Specialist, and her passion for problem-solving ensures that each one of her students is guaranteed a pathway to success. At UNE Online students are our top priority, and their success is what drives each and every one of us to do what we do. We’d like to share a little bit about the people that are dedicated to making that happen every day. What do you do at UNE Online? I am a Support Specialist for our students in the Graduate Programs in Public Health. Once a student is accepted into their program, I become their first point of contact here at UNE Online. My job is to provide students with a personal connection that is sometimes lost in online education settings, and… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Programs in Public Health | MPH | student success | student support | Student Support SpotlightMeet Our Team: Alexandra Legere
Alexandra Legere is an enrollment counselor. She also stars in UNE Online’s Facebook Live videos answering your questions about UNE, the application process, and graduate school. As an enrollment counselor, Allie enjoys hearing the passion in potential student’s voices and working with them as they take charge of their futures by applying to graduate school. At UNE Online, students are our top priority, and their success is what drives each and every one of us to do what we do. We’d like to share a little bit about the people that are dedicated to making that happen every day. What do you do at UNE Online? I am an Enrollment Counselor for the Public Health, Applied Nutrition and Health Informatics graduate programs. This means I chat with potential applicants about the program to determine if it’s a good fit for their goals. I then work with them to help them complete their applications. Where are you from? I’m from right… Read More >
Tags: Enrollment | enrollment counselor spotlight | Graduate Programs in Applied Nutrition | Graduate Programs in Health Informatics | Graduate Programs in Public HealthPublic Health Credentialing: Seven Public Health Certifications
See what certification is appropriate for you, whether you go into public health education, public health administration, or if you’re just looking for a general public health certification. Below is information about some common certifications held by public health practitioners, and examples of types of jobs that may require certification after graduation. While there is no national-level credential for public health, there are various certifications and credentials associated with specific career paths that help you stay at the forefront of your profession. Why get certified? Your chosen career path often dictates the best certification for you, or whether you even need to have a certification at all. Earning a credential indicates that you understand the different components of public health in your field and that you have mastered the core skills of your field of expertise. It also demonstrates your commitment to a career in public health and distinguishes you from other public health professionals. How much is it? There… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPH | public healthHow does an online course work at UNE Online?
What does it look like to take an online course? An online course has the same learning objectives as a traditional course but is presented online through technology. At UNE Online, courses are developed by pairing a subject matter expert with an instructional designer to develop learning experiences that are efficient, pedagogically sound, and appealing. Using a typical public health course as an example, this post discusses the “who, what, where, when, and how” of taking a class online at the University of New England. We’ll take a look at how this sample online public health course is structured, what’s expected of you, what resources are available to you, and more. 1. Course outline: the syllabus The majority of online public health courses are eight weeks long and broken out into eight modules. There are a couple of courses that have the modules broken out by content, but most courses divide out the course by week. During orientation you’ll get a course syllabus… Read More >
Tags: Enrollment | Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | MPH | Online LearningMeet Our Team: Carol Le
Carol Le is an Enrollment Counselor here at UNE Online, helping students build their strongest application. In particular, she’s an expert at advising students on their goal statements, and her favorite part of the job is emailing students to congratulate them once they’ve been accepted. She’s also a restaurant aficionado and is working on trying every restaurant Portland has to offer…which will be an impressive feat once she completes it! At UNE Online, students are our top priority, and their success is what drives each and every one of us to do what we do. We’d like to share a little bit about the people that are dedicated to making that happen every day. What do you do at UNE Online? I’m an Enrollment Counselor for our Graduate Programs in Public Health. I help guide our students through the application process and work with them to submit their best application. I’m there for them throughout the process to let them… Read More >
Tags: Enrollment | enrollment counselor spotlight | Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPHUNE Online's Nan Solomons Awarded Mini-Grant for Health Informatics Resear
Dr. Nan Solomons, Health Informatics Practicum Coordinator, and Dr. Erin Hartigan, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, were recently awarded a mini-grant by the University of New England’s Office of Sponsored Programs. The UNE mini-grant program provides funding to support faculty research and scholarship at the University of New England. Nan, along with co-principal investigator, Dr. Erin Hartigan, Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, will use this grant to evaluate the following question: What are the barriers and facilitators to the adoption of and adherence to a criterion‐based rehabilitation progression program post Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction and subsequent effects on outcomes? In short, Nan and Erin will look at how physical therapists (PTs) adherence to best practices may affect patients’ (athletes) return to sport. To give some background on how this grant proposal came to be, Nan explained that her co-investigator Erin is a physical therapist as well as a lifelong athlete. As such, Erin is very interested… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPHFourth Group of CGPS Public Health Students Inducted into Delta Omega Honor
The University of New England is pleased to announce the induction of 12 new members into the Gamma Chi chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. These 12 new members, all outstanding students, are enrolled in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program within the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. On an annual basis, a small number of top-performing MPH students are invited to join Delta Omega. The program elects new student members through a highly selective process that assesses their outstanding academic performance and demonstration of public health leadership. Election of membership in Delta Omega is intended to not only recognize merit but also to encourage excellence in public health work and devotion to the field. “We are proud to acknowledge these inductees for their exemplary academic performance as well as the leadership qualities they possess,” says Laudan Ghayebi, M.P.H., Public Health Program Manager. “We know that the impact they will have in the field… Read More >
Tags: Graduate Certificate in Public Health | Graduate Programs in Public Health | Master of Public Health | MPHUNE in the Maine Public Health Community and Beyond
This month has been a busy one for the Graduate Programs in Public Health at UNE! Various faculty and staff members were in attendance at three different events – two local Maine Public Health conferences, and a national conference in Denver, Colorado. At each event our program staff noticed a strong trend toward students actively seeking out Public Health programs delivered 100% online. Seems that public sentiment is now beginning to reflect what we have known for a quite some time now – online education is equal to – and in some aspects superior to – an on-ground education. Starting with the first event of the month and ending with the most recent, the following is a brief overview of each event. The Maine Public Health Association 2016 Annual Conference: “Population. Environment. Policy.” Under the banner hashtag #ThisisPublicHealth, the MPHA annual conference was held at the University of Southern Maine in the Abromson Center Hannaford Lecture Hall in Portland, and included: Keynote… Read More >
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