On Saturday, July 25, 2015, the University of Notre Dame’s Master of Science in Global Health program held its 4th Commencement Exercise, graduating 28 students with the professional degree of Master of Science in Global Heath. The year culminated with a capstone project with students fulfilling their research requirement in 12 different countries including Belize, Ecuador, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Peru, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States.
Graduates are now pursuing a variety of opportunities. While some students are furthering their education at medical schools like Georgetown, Tulane, and University of Illinois-Chicago or doctoral programs at University of Texas-Dallas, University of Notre Dame, and University of Chicago, other students are entering the global health workforce with the Peace Corps and state public health departments.
Degrees were conferred by Notre Dame’s Vice President and Senior Associate Provost, Dr. Christine Maziar. On behalf of the class, Katelyn Campbell, ’14, MS ’15, presented a reflection of the year including gratitude to the University and members of the Eck Institute for Global Health. For the next year, Campbell will serve as a Global Health Research Associate for the University stationed and in partnership with Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center (SJRMC)’s Our Lady of the Rosary Clinic on the near west side of South Bend. Campbell will be assisting SJRMC incorporate population health based practices into their preventative care activities.
The 2015 Commencement speaker, Dr. David Addiss, whose career has spanned many health disciplines with global impact, gave a thought provoking and inspiring send off to the graduates. Addiss currently holds the position of Director at Children Without Worms at the Task Force for Global Health in Decatur, Georgia, and is the founder and director of the Center for Compassion & Global Health also headquartered in Decatur.
Notre Dame’s Master of Science in Global Health program is 12-month, science-centric academic program that arms students with the knowledge, tools, and experience to be part of the solution to the global health crisis. The rigorous curriculum includes classroom training and experiential learning to prepare students for improving human health around the world, especially in poor and underserved people.
After two semesters of coursework on campus, students complete a six- to eight-week field experience abroad in a resource-poor location. Upon their return from their international immersion, each student submits and presents a capstone project. This scholarly report includes original or literature based research written by which they connect classroom science-centric training, survey research, and mathematical modeling to the field via hands-on experience.
The Eck Institute for Global Health is a university-wide enterprise that recognizes health as a fundamental human right and endeavors to promote research, training, service to advance health standards for all people, especially people in low and middle-income countries, who are disproportionately impacted by preventable diseases. For more information about Notre Dame’s Master of Science in Global Health degree program, visit: here