Student Spotlight

From paramedic to physician, Chris Connolly's path to earning his MD/MPH at UTMB wasn’t a straight line—but it shaped the emergency doctor he's become. As he begins residency in Austin, he reflects on the road that led him here, the power of public health, and what's next.

SPPH students Faith Adjei-Sarpong and Alexandra Holland have been selected for the prestigious Archer Fellowship, where they’ll spend the summer in Washington, D.C., applying their public health expertise to national policy and advocacy work on sickle cell disease and climate-related health.

Three UTMB MD/MPH students were named 2025–2026 Albert Schweitzer Fellows. Their projects, tackling legal barriers to health and environmental injustice in Galveston, embody the SPPH mission of evidence-informed, community-driven public health practice.

At the Spring General Body Meeting, Dr. Mandy Hill shared decades of public health experience with SPPH students, blending wisdom with personal stories. Her guidance underscored how mentorship, authenticity, and informal connection shape the SPPH experience.

Field Notes: Truth Serum Edition gives students the mic—anonymously. In this one, a student sounds the alarm on Utah’s fluoride ban, calls out political short-sightedness, and urges public health pros in Texas to speak up before it’s too late.

UTMB's School of Public and Population Health closed out National Public Health Week with a powerful Service Day. Students volunteered at local nonprofits to fight food insecurity, support children, and gain firsthand public health experience in the community.

UTMB’s 2025 Public Health Symposium brought together 90+ poster presenters, a global health keynote by Dr. James Roth, and an awards ceremony honoring excellence in service, scholarship, and community impact.

UTMB students turned a day at the Capitol into real-world advocacy. From discussing public health policy with lawmakers to translating research into action, SPPH students are shaping the future of healthcare from within the legislative process.

UTMB MD/MPH student Leonard Wang has been selected as a 2025 FASPE Medical Fellow, joining an international ethics cohort in Germany and Poland. Currently a Fulbright Scholar in Scotland, Wang continues to make a global impact in medicine, ethics, and public health.

As the EPA announces its largest deregulatory action in history, an SPPH student weighs in on the health consequences, environmental injustice, and the urgent role public health professionals must play in resisting these rollbacks.

SPPH Student Association showcases student leadership through hosting the Sisters in Public Health Galveston Chapter's inaugural Lunch & Learn. Led by MPH candidate Allie Murphy, this new chapter brings opportunities for mentorship, scholarship, and professional development to campus, reflecting UTMB's commitment to empowering students and creating supportive communities for women in public health.

SPPH Student Association demonstrates their commitment to service and community wellbeing through two recent initiatives: a successful Canned Food Drive that collected 277 items for the campus food pantry and a Valentine's week bake sale fundraiser supporting future educational events. These student-led efforts exemplify UTMB's vision of "Health equity for all" while fostering a more connected campus community.