Emily Edgar and Izabella Galindo step into their roles as President and Vice President of the SPPH Student Association with ambitious plans to strengthen community connections and build lasting networks for students.
From Different Paths to Shared Purpose
Emily's journey to public health began with a childhood fascination for science. As a young girl armed with a microscope, she would collect bugs in her yard, dissect them, and document her findings in a journal. This early curiosity evolved into a passion for veterinary medicine until she learned about the work of Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, a veterinarian working with gorilla and human populations in Uganda.
"She discovered that environmental and animal-human crossover was causing mite infestations in both populations," Emily explains. "Through collaboration with public health agencies, they built sustainable economies for villages while securing the health of both gorilla populations and local communities. That's when I realized public health was about solving problems at their root."
For Izabella, the path to public health started during her first month at UT Austin. Originally pre-med, she took an introductory public health class with Dr. Jay Brown that changed everything. As a first-generation college student and high school graduate from Baytown, Texas, she suddenly had terminology for experiences she had witnessed growing up.
"I learned about food swamps and the social determinants of health," Izabella recalls. "The entire time, I kept thinking, 'I know that because I lived that, because I've seen people in my community go through those challenges.' It was powerful to put names to what was happening and see there was a way I could advocate for solutions."
Building Bridges Between Faculty Networks and Students
Both leaders identified a critical gap: the disconnect between faculty connections and student utilization of those networks. While faculty members have established relationships with organizations throughout Galveston, students often miss opportunities to engage with these community partners.
Emily, who now works as a Young Garden Leader with Galveston’s Own Farmers Market alongside her barista position at Conex, sees her role as creating concrete pathways for student involvement. "Students who are gung-ho will seek out connections, but we can do so much to make these opportunities accessible to everyone."
Izabella brings her own network through her work with the Christina Sullivan Foundation, where she conducts evaluation work examining program effectiveness and strategic planning. "Their organization focuses on disability rights advocacy," she notes. "There's a really good opportunity for our school to get involved."
An Ambitious Agenda for Student Engagement
The new leadership team envisions at least one activity per month, with some months featuring multiple smaller events. Their plans include:
- Community Connections: Establishing partnerships with local nonprofits and creating structured volunteer opportunities that can serve as Applied Practice Experience projects.
- Language Learning Series: Informal gatherings where students can practice languages, particularly Spanish, in health care contexts.
- Social Events: Movie nights and game nights to foster community among students who often feel isolated in their academic bubbles.
- Service Projects: Including a Narcan distribution booth at Mardi Gras, building on connections made through Dr. Agana's applied epidemiology course.
- Public Health Education: Izabella is working to establish a year-long educational program at Ball High School featuring monthly SPPH student-led sessions on topics from epidemiology to health humanities.
Creating Lasting Change Through Structure
Both leaders emphasize the importance of building systems that outlast their tenure. "We want to create programs and series that continue beyond us," Izabella explains. "That's why I want to integrate the high school education program into the Student Association. When there's documentation and resources in place, it can keep going."
Their first major event will be a town hall on September 16. The meeting will introduce their vision while gathering input from the student body about what they want to see from the association.
Emily and Izabella also plan to establish representatives from each degree track and cohort to ensure all voices are heard. "We're so separated," Emily observes. "Having a student representative from bioethics PhDs, population science, MD-MPH students, and aerospace medicine would create concrete links for collaboration."
Open Doors and Open Minds
As they begin their term, both leaders emphasize accessibility and inclusivity. "Your ideas, wants, and visions are something we would really appreciate. We are extremely open to hearing what you have to say,” Emily stresses.
Students can connect with the Student Association through their Instagram account and upcoming Slack group, which will feature dedicated channels for announcements, volunteer opportunities, and social events.
For Emily and Izabella, success looks like students talking outside the classroom, making connections that extend beyond graduation, and experiencing the full potential of what Galveston and SPPH have to offer. As Emily puts it, "We want people to feel like they have a space to exist in as members of this school."
The Student Association meetings will be open to all SPPH students, with virtual options available for those who cannot attend in person. Keep an eye out for the monthly activity calendar as the new academic year begins.