Arnold School of Public Health

2025 News Archive

Doctoral graduate committed to improving maternal and child health in low-resource settings

Fahmida Akter graduates in May with a Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior and her priorities clear: a lifelong connection to USC and an unwavering commitment to improving health, particularly for women and children, in low-resource settings.

Cultural perspective and public health degree prep May graduate for career in health care

Zohra Alikhail may have been born and raised in SC, but her Afghan roots have shaped her past, present and future. The daughter of immigrants, she knew she was passionate about advocating for marginalized groups, but she wasn't sure which area to study.

Sean Sweeney named inaugural fellow of Steven N. Blair Horse Collar Knight Endowed Fellowship Fund

Ph.D. in Epidemiology student Sean Sweeney is the recipient of the first fellowship supported by the Steven N. Blair Horse Collar Knight Endowed Fellowship Fund.

Four Arnold School faculty members awarded Two Thumbs Up Awards from Student Disability Resource Center

Kersten Cope, Alicia Flach, Myriam Torres and Yanan Zhang were recognized by the Student Disability Resource Center with 2025 Two Thumbs Up Awards for going above and beyond to support students with disabilities.

I Am Public Health: Celine Benedico

After graduating in August, Jennifer Mungo Graduate Student of the Year Award winner Celine Benedico plans to work with pediatric populations, including bilingual children, who have language and communication disorders.

May graduate to join Miami Dolphins as athletic trainer

Through his educational and clinical experiences Taisei Chiba has adopted a holistic approach to patient care - which he will begin applying after graduating in May when he will rejoin the Miami Dolphins as an athletic trainer.

USC students excel at interprofessional health event

A team of health sciences students, including exercise science alumna and current athletic training student Amanda Trujillo, have won third place in CLARION National Student Case Competition.

Increased efforts are shifting the point of viability to 22 weeks' gestation

Building on her previous research into maternal and infant health during pregnancy and after birth, epidemiology associate professor Nansi Boghossian has published new findings in JAMA.

Scout player for Gamecocks Women's Basketball pursues career in physical therapy, sports performance

Benjamin White is wrapping up his exercise science degree with a sports performance internship, and it's the perfect segue into the next phase of his USC journey: enrolling in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Two Arnold School students recognized with statewide awards at the South Carolina Public Health Association's annual conference

Public health major Muskaan Makkar has been awarded the SCPHA Public Health Scholarship, and epidemiology doctoral student Penias Tembo received the Malcom U. Dantzler Scholarship.

Doctoral graduate applies infectious disease, health services expertise to career in state, federal public health agencies

Tony Brown's doctoral studies helped refine his evaluation/data analytics and infectious disease expertise, specifically in the areas of HIV and other STIs with the goal of advancing health equity for sexual and racial minority groups.

Peiyin Hung wins Researcher of the Year Award from National Rural Health Association

The NRHA has selected Peiyin Hung, health services policy and management associate professor and co-director of the Rural Health Research Center, as the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Researcher of the Year Award.

Two-time alumna, long-time faculty member Sara Corwin shares the rise of the public health bachelor's programs

Sara Corwin earned two degrees from the Arnold School during its formative years and has spent more than two decades building its undergraduate programs. Read on for an inside view with this very special Pioneering Perspectives story.

Arnold School programs shine in U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate School Rankings

Already known as a top-ranked school of public health nationally, the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health has once again been ranked the best school of public health in South Carolina.

Exercise science grad plans career improving health for South Carolinians

A Gamecock at heart, Cole knew that studying at South Carolina's flagship university would cement her ties to the state, and she chose the Arnold School's B.S. in Exercise Science program as her major due to its strong scientific foundation.

2024-2025 SPARC Graduate Research Grants awarded to six Arnold School graduate students

Graduate students from across the Arnold School have earned 2024-2025 SPARC Graduate Research Grants from the USC Office of the Vice President for Research to fund individual scholarship initiatives.

Simple activities could be keys to dementia prevention, says USC public health researcher

USC features the research of communication sciences and disorders professor/chair Jean Neils-Strunjas, who is working to prevent the onset of dementia by testing simple techniques for older adults.

Big Data Health Science Conference Participants Share Data Science Innovations

In February, USC hosted the National Big Data Health Science Conference, which is supported in part by NIH and centers on the critical questions and emerging methods in big data health science.

Public health degree, leadership roles prep May graduate for career in health care administration

Her various leadership roles and volunteer activities - along with a strong foundation from the only accredited school of public health in the state - cemented Bethany Cotton's commitment to a career in health care.

Xuewen Wang wins USC research award

The Office of the Vice President for Research has selected exercise science associate professor Xuewen Wang as one of the 2025 recipients of the Distinguished Research Service Awards.

I Am Public Health: Maushmi Patel

As a student in the Ph.D. in Health Services Policy and Management program, Maushmi Patel has developed research interests in patient engagement and evaluation, particularly the assessment of digital health technologies.

Remembering Dave Murday: leader, colleague, mentor, friend

Beloved by his work family at CARE, Dave Murday passed away unexpectedly in January. The researcher leaves behind a loss of expertise, but more profoundly, a legacy in the rich organizational culture he helped cultivate over the past 30 years.

U.S. Army Veteran and Master of Health Administration student awarded Nancy Rosenthal Scholarship

Martha Selmon's experiences providing and receiving health care services with the U.S. Army are what led her to pursue an MHA. She is particularly interested in health disparities, provider burnout and the health of military veteran populations.

Courtney Tkacs will become next student body president

Honors College student Courtney Tkacs, who is majoring in public health and political science, has been elected as the USC Student Body President for 2025-2026.

Research professor, philanthropist Al Montgomery passes away after long career advancing field of communication sciences and disorders

The department and other close colleagues and friends will share their stories of Al, who passed away in February at the age of 86, at a Celebration of Life lunch on April 11, 2025.

Master of Health Administration alumnus Gary Cooper looks back on the Arnold School in the 90s plus lessons from a career in health care

Gary Cooper has reached a stage in his life and career where he has wisdom to share. A serial entrepreneur who has bought, sold and led multi-million-dollar health care organizations, the MHA alumnus ('96) says his success almost cost him his life.

Staff Spotlight: Katherine Tse

Moving to the South after a decade abroad was a bit of a culture shock for Katherine Tse. The HSPM grants coordinator has found all of the upsides though, including a love for college sports.

Brie Turner-McGrievy wins USC Educational Foundation Research Award for Health Sciences

The Office of the Provost has selected health promotion, education, and behavior professor Brie Turner-McGrievy as the 2025 recipient of the USC Educational Foundation Research Award for Health Sciences.

Three exercise science faculty members honored with athletic training national awards

Three exercise science faculty members have been selected to receive the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award from the National Athletic Trainers' Association: Toni Torres-McGehee, Jim Mensch, and Susan Yeargin.

I Am Public Health: Ray Holberger

After graduating this year, Holberger is looking forward to serving the state using his more refined environmental risk assessment skill set and fostering continued collaborations between the Department of Environmental Services and the Arnold School.

Mexican National Institute of Public Health selects Jim Thrasher as inaugural winner of Excellence in Scientific Leadership and Collaboration Award

Health promotion, education, and behavior professor Jim Thrasher is the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Scientific Leadership and Collaboration Award for his efforts to reduce tobacco use over the past 25 years.

Sigfus Kristinsson wins national award to support stroke research

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders' newest assistant professor Sigfus Kristinsson is the recipient of the Lawrence M. Brass, MD, Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Stroke.

New research questions traditional methods for monitoring childhood growth

Researchers from the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior have published a new study that challenges the use of Growth Monitoring and Promotion to detect growth faltering in children.

Public health nurse Lillian Mood shares her experience in the Arnold School's inaugural cohort and how the program impacted her career

Lillian Mood (Lill) graduated with the inaugural cohort of the Arnold School's first degree program, the Master of Public Health. The public health nurse went on to have a long career serving South Carolinians in various roles with the Department of Public Health.

Adolescents with mental health symptoms more likely to use multiple nicotine products, particularly e-cigarettes, new international research finds

A recent study led by Emily Hackworth has found that youth (ages 16-19) with internalizing mental health symptoms are more likely to turn to nicotine products (particularly electronic cigarettes) than their peers.

Center for Community Health Alignment takes the reins for nationwide community health worker workforce development organization

Three years into its rapid growth and widespread impact, the multi-institutional partnership known as envision will find a new home at the Center for Community Health Alignment under the leadership of Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox.

Why I Give Back to USC: Caleb Morris

The USC Office of Development of Development sits down for a Q&A with Caleb Morris. Learn why the exercise science instructor/advisor gives back to his employer/alma mater.

COVID-19 pandemic worsened mother, infant birth outcomes

Arnold School researchers with the Center for Healthcare Quality have published new research in the Annals of Epidemiology regarding the impact of COVID-19 infections on women who were pregnant before and during the pandemic.

Mary Ann Galloway paved the way for the first Master of Public Health program as its first graduate

Reinvention, innovation and entrepreneurship have been themes in Mary Ann Galloway's career. In addition to grit, an open mind and an innate ability to connect the dots, she credits her MPH for making her path possible.

I Am Public Health: Xuanxuan Yu

This spring, Xuanxuan Yu will complete his third degree in biostatistics, but there was a time when he didn't have a clear understanding of the field. In his bachelor's program at Nanjing Medical School Yu fell in love with the subject.

Why government can’t make America ‘healthier’ by micromanaging groceries purchased with SNAP benefits

Danielle Krobath, an assistant professor of epidemiology, writes for The Conversation with Tufts University Assistant Professor of Community Health Benjamin Chrisinger about their research into safety net programs, including SNAP benefits.

Prisma Health Research Seed Grants provide pathways to improve health in the state

Five projects supported by Prisma Health Research Seed Grants will be led by Arnold School researchers in 2025. Marta Bornstein (HPEB), Devin Bowes (ENHS)), Brian Chen (HSPM), Melissa Nolan (Epidemiology), and Elizabeth Regan (EXSC) each received up to $20,000.

American Psychological Association welcomes Elizabeth Crouch as new editor for Journal of Rural Mental Health

Elizabeth Crouch, an associate professor in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management and co-director for the Rural and Minority Health Research Center, will serve as editor for the Journal of Rural Mental Health.

Center for Community Health Alignment to lead nationwide public health capacity-building efforts with new cooperative agreement

The CDC has awarded $1 million to the envision program at the Arnold School's Center for Community Health Alignment to strengthen the community health worker (CHW) workforce nationwide and the ability of other entities to partner with CHWs.

Public health alumna awarded National Health Service Corps Scholarship to support career in public health dentistry

Funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration, the program provides tuition and living expenses for students like Merideth Tallon in exchange for their commitment to work in undeserved areas.

Arnold School alum leads policy implementation to grow U.S. bioeconomy

Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences ('06) alumna Sarah Glaven currently serves as the Principal Assistant Director for Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Public health student establishes Latino Caucus for Public Health Student Chapter at USC

A first-generation college student and first-generation Mexican American, Dayana Sandoval says she chose USC because the university believed in her first. She leaned into the support she felt from Arnold School and the TRIO Opportunity Scholars Program.

After Burn

USC features the work of environmental health sciences professor and nanoscience expert Mohammed Baalousha, whose research into the aftermath of fires is timely given the wildfires that plague the U.S.

Assistant professor explores how innovative exercise techniques can enhance healing, performance and health

Sten Stray-Gundersen has joined the Department of Exercise Science with research interests in cardiovascular exercise physiology with special emphasis on hypoxia, blood flow restriction training, and endothelial function.

Staff Spotlight: Libby Furr

Since joining the department in 2015, Furr has supported CPARG as well as the Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles (TecHealth) and the Prevention Research Center (PRC).

Epidemiology student receives doctoral research award from American Public Health Association

Eric Mishio Bawa recently received the Laurence G Branch Doctoral Student Research Award from the American Public Health Association for his research into the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

I Am Public Health: Scott Anderson

Exercise oncology emerged as a scientific field of study in the past decade or two, and M.S. in Exercise Science student Scott Anderson wields it as a powerful tool for enhancing health and one's overall outlook on life.

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