2017 News Archive

Third generation UofSC graduate to attend USC School of Medicine Greenville after completing bachelor's degree in public health

The Easley, South Carolina, native's path has moved more quickly than most. She is graduating a semester early and received early acceptance to USC School of Medicine Greenville, which she will attend next fall.

Public health graduate joins Peace Corps to kick off career improving maternal and child health around the world

She chose UofSC for her undergraduate degree due to the welcoming campus, opportunity to walk on the track and field team and its status as home to the only accredited school of public health in the state.

Graduate to use degree from No. 1 exercise science Ph.D. program in the U.S. to develop injury prevention and treatment strategies for youth and adolescent athletes

She will build on these research interests with her new role as an assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans.

December graduate to use public health as foundation for dental career

With a B.S. in Public Health, Kristen Urban will attend dental school next fall, but after six acceptances and one more interview to go, the only question that remains is which school she will choose.

Faculty, staff, and students represent the Arnold School at the 145th Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association

Numerous Arnold School members attended the American Public Health Association's 2017 Annual Meeting, presenting and participating in a variety of important public health issues.

Greenville County PASOs receives Greenville Health System Pillar Award

This quarterly honor is given to a program that transforms healthcare for the benefit of the people GHS serves. Programs that receive the GHS Pillar Award are distinguished by their ability to create positive results within the community.

Arnold School launches NIH Proposal Boot Camp to support faculty in efforts to secure federal research funding

The program includes large group events and workshops to gain tools and knowledge, peer group activities for sharing ideas, reviewing proposals and providing constructive feedback, and small group work with experienced mentors.

COMD advances field with 20 presentations at the annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association convention

The Arnold School's COMD department maintained its significant presence with 20 presentations on topics such as literacy, hearing loss and aphasia by students and faculty at ASHA's 2017 convention in Los Angeles.

Senior Jasmine Douglas takes another step toward public health career through internship with Project IMHOTEP

Douglas completed an 11-week internship with Project IMHOTEP, a public health training program that helps develop the knowledge and skills of underrepresented minority students in the areas of biostatistics, epidemiology and occupational health and safety.

Equestrians look to make a difference in Haiti

Public health junior Sarah Isgett and four other UofSC equestrian-athletes prepare to travel to Haiti to provide clean drinking water to residents. Learn more with their holiday trip with this story from Gamecocks Online.

Master of health administration alumnus uses degree to protect health of U.S. Marines and provide hurricane relief

Two-time Arnold School alumnus Lieutenant Larry Middleton shares his experiences as a healthcare executive with the United States Navy.

I Am Public Health: Elizabeth Regan

Physical therapist returns to school to earn Ph.D. in exercise science to advance her ability to conduct scientific research and prepare students for careers as physical therapists.

Doctoral students publish high impact study on relationship between pregnancy weight gain and childhood obesity

Recent Arnold School graduates Junxiu Liu (epidemiology, Ph.D.) and Xinling Xu (biostatistics, Ph.D.) have published a paper on the relationship between prenatal weight gain and offspring's weight outcomes at late infancy and six years of age.

HPEB and EPID doctoral candidates receive 2017 Emerging Scholar in Childhood Obesity graduate research awards

Alicia Dahl and Carlene Mayfield have received the 2017 Emerging Scholar in Childhood Obesity graduate research awards. These awards identify and support future leaders in the area of childhood obesity research.

Researchers publish scientific statement on alcohol and cancer on behalf of the American Society of Clinical Oncology

Anthony Alberg, professor and chair of the epidemiology and biostatistics department, has authored Alcohol and Cancer: A Statement of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

HSPM's Elizabeth Crouch selected to join National Rural Health Association's 2018 Rural Health Fellows Program

The health policy researcher sees her work with vulnerable populations and rural health disparities as a natural extension of the interests she first cultivated as a child. Specifically, she examines disparities across the life course, from the beginning of life.

HPEB associate professor Heather Brandt appointed to the editorial board of the American Journal of Public Health

As a board member, Brandt will help develop and review the Journal's strategic plan and policy issues and provide direction and advice to the Journal's editors and staff. The board also serves as a link to APHA members and readers.

Two Arnold School students receive first Annual Graduate Scholar in Aging Research Awards

Doctoral candidates Dana AlHasan (epidemiology) and Karim Johari (communication sciences and disorders) have been named Graduate Scholars in Aging as part of a research awards program supported by Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold.

New EXSC faculty member Abbi Lane-Cordova dedicated to helping women with pregnancy complications protect their long-term health

Lane-Cordova's research focuses on understanding the processes underlying the increased long-term heart disease risk in women who have experienced certain pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure.

UofSC researchers engaged in the struggle to turn the tide of the opioid epidemic

UofSC highlights the work of opioid researchers from pharmacy, social work, and the Arnold School. HSPM's Zaina Qureshi explains how monitoring programs can help combat this public health problem.

Liese named recipient of 2017 H.A. Tyroler Distinguished Alumni Award by University of North Carolina

EPID/BIOS professor Angela Liese has been honored with the H.A. Tyroler Distinguished Alumni Award by the Epidemiology Chapter of the Gillings School of Global Public Health Alumni Association at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

HPEB's Brie Turner-McGrievy receives national award for weight management outcomes research

Brie Turner-McGrievy has received the Excellence in Weight Management Outcomes Research Award from the Weight Management dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Dorothy Byrden retiring as Arnold School budget manager; Sandy Besley joins School to fill the role

After 38 years and countless contributions to the Arnold School, Dorothy Byrden will be retiring in December. Sandy Besley joins the School from USC Aiken on November 1 to serve as budget manager.

I Am Public Health: Maria Sevoyan

Armenian physician works toward Ph.D. in epidemiology to build expertise in perinatal epidemiology and familial Mediterranean fever using advanced methods and analytical techniques.

Losing weight online through the iReach study

Columbia resident Rob Thompson explains how the SmartState Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles' iReach Study helped him lose weight and change his life.

EXSC Alumna and SOM postdoctoral fellow awarded NIH award to study cancer pain

Inspired by the loss of her aunt to breast cancer, Kandy Velázquez is researching how to ease pain. An Arnold School alumna and a current postdoctoral fellow in the School of Medicine, Velázquez, will receive nearly $1 million from NIH over the next five years to fund her research.

New epidemiology and biostatistics assistant professor Matthew Lohman aims to improve health outcomes for older adults

Lohman focuses on the relationships between mental health disorders and physical health outcomes among older adults. His research aims to better understand the risk factors and determinants for adverse health outcomes in this population.

The Graduate School announces 2017-2018 Presidential Fellows, including 13 from the Arnold School

The Graduate School has announced 70 Presidential Fellows, representing 25 states, eight countries, and 33 graduate programs for the 2017-2018 academic year. Thirteen of these promising students call the Arnold School home.

Fighting disease with data: Interdisciplinary team takes on HIV/AIDS with big data tools

Arnold School researchers Bankole Olatosi and Xiaoming Li and an interdisciplinary team from across the university have a plan to help reduce HIV infections in South Carolina and make medical care more responsive for those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

A family tradition: siblings earn doctoral degrees in epidemiology from Arnold School to improve health in China

Growing up in a small town in northeast China, Max (Xiaoguang) and Flora (Xiaonan) Ma shared experiences, ideas, and stories—even similar personalities. They also share degrees: master's in public health and soon, Ph.D.s in epidemiology from the Arnold School.

Vernberg Lecture features Lawrence Green on November 16

University of California, San Francisco professor emeritus Lawrence Green will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2017 Winona B. Vernberg Distinguished Lecture Series on November 16.

Public health major Ghia Ulrey wins scholarship to support career helping children and families

Ulrey's desire to help people was recently recognized by UofSC when she won the Michael Daniel Smith and Alexander Tyler Smith Scholarship. This award provides tuition support to a rising senior planning a career as a professional who helps children and families.

Public health senior wins Rotary Scholarship to support master's degree in his quest for universal health equity

The senior public health major has already founded a nonprofit organization and built relationships with communities in the Caribbean, Central America and Africa.

No. 1! UofSC sport science programs top national rankings

Arnold School contributes to UofSC's sport science programs' No. 1 ranking in the United States for the second year in a row and No. 4 ranking in the world by ShanghaiRanking's 2017 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.

Diane Ehlers joins exercise science department, bringing research focus on physical activity's benefits to aging adults and cancer survivors

Ehlers' arrival serves to further bolster an already well-established core of expertise in cancer within the exercise science department and other areas of the Arnold School.

Suzanne McDermott to lead expansion of Disability Research and Dissemination Center with $14.8 million grant from Center for Disease Control and Prevention

The new center is both an expansion and extension of the existing Disability Research and Dissemination Center, which was established in 2012 by USC and partners through support from a previous CDC grant.

Russell Pate receives $2.3 million grant to study children's weight status in family child care home settings

Pate and his Arnold School-based team will use the four-year R01 grant to assess how family child care homes influence behaviors, such as diet and physical activity, that are related to children's weight status.

I Am Public Health: ZaMyra Dow

Using personal experiences as inspiration, master of public health student and College of Nursing advisor ZaMyra Dow works toward earning her second master’s degree at UofSC.

Researchers receive Susan G. Komen grant to establish interdisciplinary graduate training program in breast cancer disparities

Associate professors Susan Steck (epidemiology and biostatistics) and Angela Murphy (School of Medicine) have been awarded a $405,000 grant from Susan G. Komen. The award is one of 98 new research grants to receive $30.7 million from Komen in 2017.

2nd annual Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold Childhood Obesity Lecture to feature Brian Saelens

Join the Arnold School of Public Health on October 12 for the Childhood Obesity 2017 Lecture by Dr. Brian Saelens focusing on: Reducing costs and improving efficacy for pediatric weight management? An alternative really family-based treatment approach.

CENR/ENHS researchers Mohammed Baalousha and Eric Vejerano selected by National Science Foundation as NSF-EPSCoR Research Fellows

Mohammed Baalousha and Eric Vejerano, assistant professors in the ENHS department and CENR, have been selected to serve as research fellows with the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

Exercise science researcher improves public health by developing faith-based programs that resonate with participants' beliefs and fit into everyday life

In an age of complicated interventions and highly technical lab experiments, exercise science professor Sara Wilcox is returning to a time-tested approach: meeting the people where they are.

From the battlefield to the classroom

UofSC features Mario Reyes, a master's student in the exercise science department's athletic training program, who is pursuing his dream after seven tours of duty as a U.S. Army Ranger, including one of the most memorable in history.

American College of Epidemiology highlight: Jennifer Gander

ACE features two-time Arnold School alumna (MSPH, Ph.D., epidemiology) Jennifer Gander and her work to reduce disparities in access to healthcare and education related to kidney transplantation.

Public health graduate to increase quality of healthcare patient self-management skills in Lancaster County

She now holds the title of project director for the Transitional Care/Chronic Management Initiative in Lancaster County where she will work to improve the quality of healthcare in the county and the self-management skills of patients with complex care needs.

EXSC's Glenn Weaver to assess effectiveness of health- and academic-focused program to avoid summer slide among low-income children

He will use the $275K, two-year R21 grant from NICHD to assess the efficacy of a new and innovative summer program that he and his team have developed for elementary school-age children.

HPEB’s Katrina Walsemann receives grant to contribute to the enhancement of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation county health rankings

The one-year, $100K research grant is funded through the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

I Am Public Health: Jack Reeves

HSPM doctoral student counts on family and community support system so he can contribute to the greater good.

Recent graduate earns MPH to improve health in his native Switzerland and beyond

Through his master of public health in general public health program, physician Jimmy Duc gained a deeper understanding of how to detect and analyze the risk factors for chronic diseases at the population level.

Nationally recognized cancer researcher Anthony Alberg joins epidemiology and biostatistics department as professor and chair

The cancer epidemiologist brings more than three decades of public health experience to the role, most recently serving as the Blatt Ness Endowed Chair in Oncology and the associate director of population sciences at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.

Through research, K-12 education, and community outreach, CENR develops the field of environmental nanoscience

Now in its fifth year, the Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk (CENR) is continuing to grow in collaborators, resources and influence. The SmartState Center has expanded to include six faculty members and over 20 doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows.

August COMD graduate Leslie Lancaster earns second UofSC degree while working two jobs in her field

The August graduate left no stone unturned when exploring her options within the field of communication sciences and disorders. She gained experience working with faculty in both literacy/ language and aphasia specialties.

Brie Turner-McGrievy receives nearly $3.3 million NIH grant to reduce heart disease through nutrition-based approach

Funded through the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the HPEB associate professor will use the five-year, R01 grant to examine the use of healthy soul food diets (plant-based vs omnivorous) to address cardiovascular disease in this population.

Bangladeshi physician and HSPM grad Anas Khurshid Nabil will begin his Ph.D. in Health Services Research at Texas A&M University to improve global health for the masses

After he earns a Ph.D., Nabil plans to pursue postdoctoral research training in health policy and management. Ultimately, he will return to Bangladesh to teach and conduct research in an academic setting or join an international public health organization.

Mindi Spencer wins Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award

During her nine years in the Arnold School, HPEB's Mindi Spencer says she has grown from an instructor into a teacher in the classroom, and from a teacher into a mentor outside the classroom walls.

Arnold School alumna Alicia Flach joins the exercise science department's physical therapy program as clinical assistant professor

A 2008 DPT alumna, Flach has gained significant clinical, research and teaching experience over the past nine years and is looking forward to her role as a clinical assistant professor with the exercise science department's nationally-ranked DPT program.

HPEB's Mindi Spencer champions the elimination of health disparities for LGBT individuals

Spencer pushes her students to resist any and all forces which compromise the health of the nation–a nation which is strengthened by its diversity. It is through her research and service that Spencer has demonstrated her zealous commitment to the health of the LGBT population.

May graduate to improve health locally with position at Upper Midlands Rural Health Network

Lindsey's experiences have helped prepare her for the next chapter—a position with Upper Midlands Rural Health Network. As project coordinator, she will work on the Duke Endowment-funded Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas initiative in Fairfield County.

Senior Ross Lordo uses public health program and experience as student body president to prep for career in health

From his public health program of study to his creative research focus, Ross Lordo is combining traditional and nontraditional components of the undergraduate experience to prepare for a career committed to improving health.

I Am Public Health: Jessica Rice

August graduate departs UofSC with Master of Speech Pathology Outstanding Student Award and a passion for literacy skills and neurogenics

COMD student Emily Metze wins national award to support career in academic-research

Metze was recently recognized with a Students Preparing for Academic-Research Career Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She will use the $1,000 stipend that accompanies the award to attend the organization's annual convention in Los Angeles this fall.

Study published in PLOS One finds maternal and neonatal health initiatives have positive impact on inequity in maternal health care utilization

Researchers in the Arnold School's health services policy and management department have collaborated with partners in Bangladesh to determine if the country's efforts to reduce inequity in maternal health care utilization have been successful.

COMD's Roozbeh Behroozmand receives $700K from NIH to study how brain damage causes speech impairment in stroke survivors with aphasia

Behroozmand will combine neuroimaging data with behavioral biomarkers to find out how damage to sensory and motor brain networks and altered connectivity between these regions can cause communication deficits.

Arnold School alumna Megan Weis (DrPH, MPH in HPEB) receives Michael D. Jarrett Excellence in Customer Service Award from South Carolina Public Health Association

Megan Weis, associate director of outreach & program development for the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Michael D. Jarrett Excellence in Customer Service Award.

Susan Yeargin offers tips for staying cool while working out in 'famously hot' Columbia

UofSC interviews exercise science/athletic training assistant professor Susan Yeargin to summarize six tips for staying safe while working out in the South Carolina summer heat.

New assistant professor Eric Vejerano brings air quality expertise to the environmental health sciences department and SmartState Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk

This past year, the environmental health sciences (ENHS) department welcomed Eric Vejerano, who also holds a faculty appointment with the SmartState Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk. Vejerano also directs the Environmental Nanoscience Air Quality Lab.

Call Me MISTER: USC Speech and Hearing Research Center client joins program to become role model for youth in South Carolina

A gifted artist, Harrison Love has won numerous awards throughout high school. He plans to apply his talents at Lander University this fall, where he will pursue a degree in art education through the Call Me MISTER program.

USC Prevention Research Center Symposium on July 27: Implementing and Sustaining Physical Activity and Nutrition Programs in Faith-based Settings

The USC Prevention Research Center invites to you attend a symposium that will examine factors related to putting faith-based, evidence-based programs into practice, using the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) program as a model.

Rising senior Laja Wright participates in Summer Public Health Scholars Program at Columbia University

The CDC-funded 10-week program kicked off with two weeks of \training followed by eight weeks at various field placement sites working with health professional mentors of an array of disciplines in public health settings.

May graduate (Ph.D, EPID) Olubunmi Orekoya committed to career in reducing health disparities in pediatric obesity

Though she technically graduated in May, Olubunmi Orekoya has been engaged in a postdoctoral fellowship contributing to a postpartum study since February. Her next position will be a three-year pediatrics residency.

Doctor of Physical Therapy program welcomes Shana Harrington, who specializes in upper extremity impairments in cancer survivors

Shana Harrington joined the Department of Exercise Science's nationally-ranked physical therapy program this year, bringing her significant expertise in upper extremity impairments and function in breast cancer survivors and overhead athletes.

PASOs named 2017 Health Equity Hero by DentaQuest and receives Exemplary Designation by W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Through custom programming and collaborative partnerships with the Latino community and hundreds of service providers, the Arnold School-based organization was founded by Julie Smithwick to educate, support and empower families.

I Am Public Health: Joshua Peake

Arnold School alumnus returns to earn Master of Public Health in Health Promotion Education and Behavior after cardiac rehabilitation career inspires focus on the prevention side of health.

Dementia Dialogues hits a new milestone, offers course in Spanish

The Dementia Dialogues program has already trained more than 22,000 individuals since it was created by the Arnold School's Office for the Study of Aging in 2002. The five-session course is designed to educate caregivers of persons who exhibit signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.

HPEB, COMD, EXSC, and ENHS students named Graduate Civic Scholars by The Graduate School

Only 11 students from across the University were selected by The Graduate School to join the 2017-2019 cohort of their Graduate Civic Scholars Program, and Arnold School students have earned four of these highly competitive spots.

HSPM doctoral candidate Matthew Yuen wins S.C. IMPH Outstanding Student Abstract Award for the second year in a row

This year marks the second year that Yuen has won the Outstanding Student Abstract Award from the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health. It's the third year in a row for a HSPM student and the fifth year in a row for an Arnold School to win the award.

A family affair

Inspired by her younger brother's struggles with ADHD, Sydney Bassard earned her public health degree in May and plans to become a speech/language pathologist.

C-STAR Lecture Series engages participants from around the world by leading the conversation on stroke recovery

Organized by Associate Professor and C-STAR Co-investigator Dirk den Ouden, the C-STAR Lecture Series provided talks by members and guests of the Center throughout the 2016-2017 academic year.

Arnold School announces first annual Graduate Scholar in Aging Research Awards Program

The Arnold School of Public Health is pleased to announce the first annual Graduate Scholar in Aging Research Awards Program. Through the generous support of Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold, these awards contribute to developing future leaders in aging research.

Exercise Science undergraduate Elizabeth Rizor to spend her summer in prestigious biostatistics program

The NIH-funded Colorado Summer Institute in Biostatistics program aims to introduce advanced undergraduates and early-stage graduate students to the field of biostatistics and data sciences.

COMD's Kenn Apel receives nearly $1.4 million to develop literacy assessment tool for students in grades 1-6

Kenn Apel, professor and chair for COMD, has been awarded a three-year, $1,385,473 grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. The funding will support Project MATRS (Morphological Awareness Test for Reading and Spelling).

Christine Younes receives MCD Outstanding Student award and commits to advocating for those with developmental disabilities

The August graduate is completing her degree while working full-time and living 1,600 miles away in Denver--thanks to the flexible structure of this part-time degree path to becoming a speech-language pathologist.

2nd Annual Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold Emerging Scholar In Childhood Obesity Graduate Student Research Award

Through the generous support of Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold, the Arnold School of Public Health is pleased to announce the second annual Emerging Scholar in Childhood Obesity graduate research awards.

Victoria Henbest receives CAPCSD Ph.D. Scholarship to support dissertation research

COMD Ph.D. candidate Victoria Henbest will contribute to the advancement of language and literacy through her dissertation research on the linguistic awareness skills that contribute to success with reading and spelling in children who have autism spectrum disorder.

Finding the right words: Public health researcher Julius Fridriksson helps stroke survivors recover their words

UofSC's Craig Brandhorst highlights how COMD Professor and Center for the Study of Aphasia Recovery Director Julius Fridriksson is helping stroke survivors and why he was chosen as a 2017 Breakthrough Leadership in Research Award winner.

Epidemiology doctoral student contributes expertise to SC Rural Health Action Plan through consultant practicum

The action plan will provide strategies for enhancing rural health outcomes to improve rural health in the state. It will also offer solutions for attaining improved access to healthcare resources and a better understanding and shared accountability.

S.C. public health advocate says some immigrant parents are opting children out of health care services

The Post & Courier's Lauren Sausser interviews PASOs Director Julie Smithwick about a new trend in South Carolina and other states: some immigrant parents are now opting children out of healthcare services.

I Am Public Health: Eva Preisner

Environmental Health Sciences Ph.D. Candidate builds expertise in how microbial ecosystems are disturbed by hurricanes and how they bounce back.

Lindy Kyger, Kimberly Narro and Haley Yaw named 2017 Outstanding Exercise Science students

The Department of Exercise Science has selected three graduating seniors, from among those nominated by faculty members, to receive the 2017 Outstanding Exercise Science Student Awards.

May dual degree (MSW/MPH in HSPM) graduate Shannon Palm launches tool to assess racial equity impact of policy decisions

Through a practicum with Children’s Trust of SC, Palm played a critical role in getting their Racial Equity Impact Assessment tool, which examines and addresses how a proposed policy might affect different racial and ethnic groups, off the ground.

Public health graduate will pursue Master of Public Health at Yale University in her quest to impact health policy

It was during high school that Allissa Desloge first made the connection between the media, government, and societal roles and health outcomes, such as chronic diseases and obesity. She discovered her passion for health policy after watching a documentary about health advocacy.

The Arnold School remembers Ann Cassady, treasured long-time HPEB Department Business Manager

Across the Arnold School, friends and co-workers of Ann Cassady are mourning her unexpected passing due to complications from heart surgery. She was not only beloved by all who knew her, but she was also a highly respected and valued colleague.

Arnold School students represent at UofSC's inaugural Discover USC event

Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the first Discover USC showcase included more than 1,000 projects from students, postdoctoral fellows, and medical scholars. Arnold School students were well represented among the presenters.

Undergraduates study abroad in Ireland

Follow Arnold School public health and exercise science undergraduates as they blog their way through Ireland comparing health professions.

May grad Jourdyn Lawrence (MSPH in EPID) to pursue Ph.D. in Population Health Sciences at Harvard University

Jourdyn Lawrence is devoted to eliminating racial health disparities and has been active in research addressing socioenvironmental sources of such inequities. She will continue this work when she begins her Ph.D. in Population Health Sciences at Harvard University this fall.

MHA graduate Hunter Nichols lands Administrative Fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

At Carolina, Hunter Nichols earned a bachelor's degree in public health with a minor in business administration. His undergraduate experience was so fulfilling that he didn't hesitate to apply to only one master's degree program: HSPM's MHA.

Arnold School honors graduates at 2017 Hooding Ceremony on May 4

The Arnold School celebrated master's and doctoral graduates at the 2017 Hooding Ceremony on May 4. Arnold School and department award winners, along with Delta Omega inductees, were also recognized. Photos are now available.

Derek Liuzzo graduates with third Arnold School degree and secures a tenure-track position in his field

May graduate Derek Liuzzo has spent the past 13 years at the Arnold School, and he has three degrees from the Department of Exercise Science to show for it: B.S. in Exercise Science, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Ph.D. in Exercise Science.

COMD student advocates for improved communication and care for advanced dementia patients

Master of Speech Pathology student Kristie Kannaley believes that speech-language pathologists can lead the way in changing perceptions about what can and should be done for dementia patients.

Clinical Exercise Research Center's state-of-the-art research facilitates are available to all

Located on the third floor of the Public Health Research Center, CERC is designed to support multiple research and clinical activities simultaneously--all the way from large, grant-funded projects to student research to clinical assessments.

Study establishes link between sedentary time and depressive symptoms in healthy young adults

A study led by recent Ph.D. in Exercise Science graduate Keith Brazendale and published in Progress in Preventive Medicine is the first known research to link sedentary behavior with depressive symptoms in otherwise healthy young adults.

Public health researcher Jan Eberth measures access, quality of cancer prevention, treatment

UofSC features 2017 Breakthrough Star Jan Eberth's research, which measures access to and quality of cancer prevention and treatment services with a goal of reducing health disparities.

May graduate Kyle McCoil uses lessons learned from public health program and leadership roles to pursue career in higher education

McCoil's extracurricular leadership activities sparked his interest in a higher education career. His public health program's lessons (e.g., mental health, access to education, determinants to health) helped prepare him for the master's program he will begin this fall.

Arnold School faculty members to serve as principal investigators on 15 projects supported by 2017 ASPIRE grants

Arnold School faculty members from all six departments received funding from the Office of the Vice President for Research with 2017 Advanced Support for Innovative Research Excellence (ASPIRE) grants.

Mohammed Saleem graduates with dual MD/MPH degree and determination to improve health on a global scale

Mohammed Saleem graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from UofSC in 2016. Just one year later, he has completed a Master of Public Health from the Arnold School--thanks to the dual MD/MPH degree program.

Dual degree PharmD/MPH student recognized for public health service

Liz Rogers already has a B.S. in Exercise Science from the Arnold School. This month, she graduates with Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Public Health degrees. Rogers recently received the United States Public Health Service’s Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award,

Doctor of Physical Therapy program increases class size while maintaining 'boutique' approach to physical therapy education

The DPT program is in the midst of increasing its class size to admit additional highly qualified students and expand its faculty expertise. But the program has every intention of maintaining their small class size approach to teaching the profession of physical therapy.

I Am Public Health: Yanan Zhang

Master of Science in Public Health student pursues biostatistics career to answer questions that underlie public health research.

James Carson (EXSC) receives USC Educational Foundation Award for Research in Health Sciences

James Carson, professor and chair of exercise science, has received the 2017 Educational Foundation Award for Research in Health Sciences. Established in 1984, this award recognizes faculty for outstanding research and scholarship.

University raises global profile through increased study abroad, partnerships

From dual research projects to study abroad programs, the Arnold School plays an important role in the university's internationalization efforts. Learn more about our involvement in Global Carolina with this story from UofSC.

Sarah Sentmore (MHA grad) kicks off career in pediatric hospital administration with a fellowship at Children's Mercy Kansas City

Sarah Sentmore is committed to a career in pediatric hospital administration, and she's been crisscrossing the country to make it happen. Her next major move will be an Administrative Fellowship with Children's Mercy Kansas City.

Catherine E. Heigel to speak at the Arnold School Hooding Ceremony on May 4

Catherine E. Heigel, the director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, will speak at the 2017 Arnold School Hooding Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 4 at the Koger Center for the Arts. Student, faculty, and alumni awards will also be presented.

Something to Talk About Fundraiser on May 12 at USC Alumni Center

Support the USC Speech and Hearing Research Center and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at their annual Fun-draiser, which features food, drinks, music from Mama’s Home Cookin, and a silent auction.

HPEB Ph.D. Student Aditi Srivastav named one of 15 2017-2019 Doris Duke Fellows

Aditi Srivastav, a second year student in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior's Ph.D. program, has been selected as one of only 15 2017-2019 recipients of the University of Chicago-Chapin Hall's prestigious Doris Duke Fellowships for the Promotion of Child Well-Being.

Natalie S. Burke touches on privilege, diversity at equity lecture

The Daily Gamecock reports on Natalie S. Burke's keynote address at the 10th Annual James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture that was held on April 18.

EPID/BIOS' Angela Liese and colleagues receive two highly cited paper recognitions for work in nutritional epidemiology

Angela Liese is widely recognized for her research and service in nutritional epidemiology, diabetes epidemiology, and public health nutrition. Her work helps inform nutrition-related policies that impact the health of all Americans.

Rehabilitation through robotics

Troy Herter's SMART Lab is changing the way scientists learn about rehabilitation. His unique background and state-of-the-art KINARM Robotic System shed light on how engaging in daily tasks are affected by stroke, the aging process, exercise and many other factors.

James Hébert invited to join National Institutes of Health Nutrition Research Thought Leader Panel for the NIH Nutrition Research Task Force

James Hébert has been invited to serve as a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Nutrition Research Thought Leader Panel. This panel is a part of the NIH Nutrition Research Task Force and is comprised of a group of senior scientists nominated by senior NIH officials.

Environmental health sciences doctoral candidate Diptadip Dattaroy wins four awards

A doctoral candidate in the Arnold School's Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Dattaroy is on track to graduate with a Ph.D. in just 3.5 years. But the Arnold Fellow isn't simply checking all of the boxes to get to graduation; he's making the most of his time at UofSC.

MHA grad Megan Le begins her career in population health management with fellowship at Duke University Hospital

The May graduate of Health Services Policy and Management’s Master of Health Administration program can trace all of her major educational and career decisions to networking, gaining experience, and doing what she loves.

Arnold School undergraduate researcher Olivia Reszczynski named 2017 Mount Vernon Fellow with public health project

UofSC sophomore Olivia Reszczynski has been named a 2017 Mount Vernon Fellow. The Integrative Muscle Biology Laboratory mainstay will pursue a capstone project through the program, and she's chosen one that is decidedly public health-focused.

Public health researcher Dan Fogerty looks to fine tune hearing aid technology

UofSC features Daniel Fogerty, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. He was named a 2017 Breakthrough Star for his research, which advances hearing aid technology.

Engineers Without Borders brings diverse disciplines together to improve public health in local and international settings

Engineers Without Borders is a non-profit humanitarian organization that is committed to partnering with lower-income communities around the world in the areas of water supply, sanitation, energy, agriculture, civil works, structures and information.

HPEB doctoral student Alycia Boutté receives Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research from NIH

The NIH supplement will allow Boutté to examine the psychosocial and nutritional built environment's influences on diet quality in pregnancy among participants in the HIPP Study.

Clyburn Lecture focuses on Bridging Health Equity Across Communities with keynote speaker Natalie S. Burke on April 18

Join the Arnold School and SC DHEC for the 10th Annual James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture on April 18 at 10 a.m. The event will include a keynote presentation by Natalie S. Burke and reception and poster session showcasing health disparities research/practice.

HPEB's Daniela Friedman receives $145K grant from NCI and NIH to improve communication strategies about environmental risks of breast cancer for African American women

Daniela Friedman and three USC-Arnold School co-investigators have received a $145,106 grant from NCI and NIH to fund the project, Strategies for Communicating the Environmental Risks of Cancer.

I Am Public Health: Chelsea Larsen

Exercise Science doctoral student and MPH-PAPH graduate Chelsea Larsen builds a career using technology to facilitate and promote healthy behavior change.

ENHS Assistant Professor Shuo Xiao brings bioengineering innovation and a reproductive health focus to the Arnold School

Assistant Professor Shuo Xiao is the newest member of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences. His research focuses on how environmental toxins and pharmaceutical compounds impact the female reproductive system.

National Public Health Week 2017 Health Walk on April 8

Join the Arnold School of Public Health and the Dean's Student Advisory Council for a Health Walk/Run! This activity is a free, untimed event open to the public to promote health and fitness to celebrate National Public Health Week 2017 together as a community.

EPID/BIOS' Alexander McLain successfully estimates infertility prevalence in low-to-middle-income income countries

Assistant Professor of EPID/BIOS Alexander McLain and a team of researchers have recently applied a statistical method (current duration approach) to successfully estimate infertility rates in low-to-middle-income countries using Demographic and Health Survey Data.

Fostering a passion for global health

Exercise science senior Stephanie Hirth and Arnold School alumnus/College of Nursing Clinical Associate Professor Patrick Hickey Discuss their passion for global health with @UofSC.

Free hearing and health screenings on April 4

In honor of National Public Health Week, the Arnold School will offer free hearing and health screenings (e.g., blood pressure, weight, BMI) on April 4 from 1pm-5pm at the Public Health Research Center. All faculty, staff, students, and the general public are invited.

COMD's USC Speech and Hearing Research Center marks 20 years of serving Columbia area with Preschool Speech-Language-Hearing Screening Program

Offered to children ages 2-5 in Richland, Lexington and surrounding counties, this program works with preschools/childcare centers and families to identify and address communication and hearing impairments that may impede a child’s school and daily activities.

Call for Abstracts!

Share your health disparities, social justice, and special populations research and practice during the poster session at the 10th James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture on April 18. Abstracts are due March 31.

Arnold School expands to Greenville

The Arnold School will partner with Greenville Health System to create a satellite campus focused on research and public health degree programs. The program, launching in fall 2017, will bring faculty from Columbia to work alongside clinicians at Greenville Health System.

Macie Smith receives Outstanding Educator Award from the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium

Macie Smith, Program Development and Training Manager for the Arnold School's Office for the Study of Aging, has been named the 2017 recipient of the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium's Outstanding Educator Award.

Research links Gulf War Illness to gastrointestinal disturbances and uncovers pathways to how this condition causes neuroinflammation

Researchers have published the first study to link the gastrointestinal disturbances of Gulf War Illness with changes in the intestinal microbiota. This connection potentially explains both the gastrointestinal inflammation and the neurological abnormalities that define GWI.

Remembering Scott Kelly, a cherished member of the Arnold School family

The Arnold School of Public Health mourns the loss of our valued friend and colleague, IT Specialist III Scott Kelly. You can honor his memory by supporting his surviving family members with a donation to the Kelly Fund at Trinity Baptist Church in Cayce.

HSPM and CERortho's Melanie Cozad receives $289K Pfizer grant to create a tool to advance patient-centered care

Cozad will use the funding to support the collaborative project with Greenville Health System: Integrating a Personalized Patient-Specific Preference Tool to Enhance Shared Decision Making for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

7th Annual Nutrition Symposium to focus on Nexus of Food and Environmental Justice on March 31

Join the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, the School of Earth, Ocean and Environment &, the Department of Environmental Health Sciences as they explore "Healthy Eating in Context: Nexus of Food and Environmental Justice."

David Simmons named Galen Health Fellows faculty principal

USC has named David Simmons as faculty principal of the Galen Health Fellows, a new living and learning community for undergraduates studying in the health sciences. Simmons will lead the community of approximately 300 students.

Jim Burch (EPID/BIOS) uses Fulbright Specialist grant to build knowledge and collaborative opportunities with Chilean university

With a single two-week trip to Austral University of Chile (UACh), Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Jim Burch managed to establish multiple opportunities for partnering with the Valdivia-based institution.

Exercise Science undergrads excel in the 2017 Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Quiz Bowl

A team of three Arnold School students secured fourth place out of 28 teams from various exercise science programs in a quiz bowl that was held during the 2017 Southeast Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting in February.

HSPM alumna Kolby Redd receives American College of Healthcare Executives Early Career Healthcare Executive Regent's Award

Kolby Redd, a two-time Arnold School alumna and the Director of Community Health for the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate of the American Heart Association, received the Early Career Healthcare Executive Regent's Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives.

EPID candidate Jiali Zheng named finalist for Donna and Andrew Sorensen Graduate Student Fellowship in Cancer Research

Zheng is studying nutrition epidemiology to combine her prior academic background. As a finalist, Zheng received a $500 award and was honored at a Center for Colon Cancer Research luncheon.

Rural Lecture addresses Why Rural Health Planning is Critical to Successful Rural Collective Impact Approaches on March 21

Join the Arnold School and the South Carolina Office of Rural Health for the second in a three-part lecture series focused on issues impacting rural communities. The lectures, which are free and open to the public, address the social determinants of health in rural communities.

Li and Qiao receive $1 million grant from NIH to explore relationship between HIV-related stigma and clinical outcomes

Xiaoming Li, HPEB Professor and Director for the SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), and Shan Qiao, Assistant Professor of HPEB and CHQ, have received a $1 million grant NIH's U.S.-China Program for Biomedical Collaborative Research.

Carol Page receives 2017 DiCarlo Award from the South Carolina Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Carol Page, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and program director in the School of Medicine, has been honored by SCSHA for outstanding clinical achievement.

HPEB's Christine Blake shares nutritional expertise with invited talks at ILSI Research Foundation and Cornell University

The 2017 calendar had barely registered February and Christine Blake had already traveled to California and New York to deliver invited talks for the International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation and Cornell University.

South Carolina Law Review elects first black woman editor in chief

Arnold School alumna Chelsea Evans has been named the editor-in-chief of the South Carolina Law Review. UofSC Today features the second-year USC School of Law student, including how her service and policy work led her to study law.

Former miracle child, student shares story at USCDM

Sara Svendsen, a junior majoring in public health, shares her own health scare with the Daily Gamecock and explains how she gives back by volunteering with Dance Marathon, the largest student-run organization at UofSC.

I Am Public Health: Danielle Sill

From plants to pathogens, Danielle Sill's (MSPH, Epidemiology) education and training have prepared her for a public health career dedicated to controlling infectious diseases.

Arnold School's Matt McGrievy invited to join Eat Smart, Move More South Carolina Board of Directors

McGrievy, the director for the Web Development and Communications Core within the Office of Operations and Accreditation, will contribute to ESMMSC's mission of advancing community-led change to reduce obesity by making the healthy choice the easy choice for South Carolinians.

Advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice; Arnold School adjunct faculty Deborah Billings leads the way

Adjunct faculty member (HPEB) and affiliate (HSPM) Debbie Billings has spent three decades working to ensure that women and men around the world have the information and access they need to govern their own bodies and lives.

Arnold School's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders grows literacy expertise

Five years ago, the Arnold School saw the opportunity to develop a strong literacy core within COMD. Today, the literacy program is led by four tenure-track faculty and is outpacing the majority of their peer programs at other universities.

Ten Arnold School graduate students earn 2016-2017 SPARC Graduate Research Grants

Arnold School graduate students from EXSC, HPEB, and EPID/BIOS have earned 2016-2017 SPARC Graduate Research Grants from the USC Office of the Vice President for Research to fund individual scholarship initiatives.

Public health major Ross Lordo wins election to become 109th student body president

Ross Lordo, a senior majoring in public health and the sitting vice president of the USC student body, has been elected the 109th student body president of the University of South Carolina.

CPARG receives $225K grant to deploy SHAPES training program to increase physical activity at child care centers across state

With funding from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Foundation, this project will provide SHAPES online training to increase physical activity and prevent childhood obesity among children at preschools and child care centers in South Carolina.

Clinical Assistant Professor Jason Wigand (COMD) receives inaugural Bright Beginnings Award from South Carolina Academy of Audiology

This prestigious award has been created to honor S.C. audiologists who have provided excellent clinical care, participated in advocacy, volunteered their time, and otherwise demonstrated superior commitment to the field of audiology.

COMD's Crystal Murphree-Holden receives 2017 Kleffner Clinical Career Award from S.C. Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Crystal Murphree-Holden, a clinical instructor and the director of distance education in COMD, has been named the recipient of the 2017 Frank R. Kleffner Clinical Award from the South Carolina Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

USC leadership continues building relationships with Chinese universities with trip to Nanjing, Hong Kong and Macau

Arnold School collaborations with Chinese universities are critical to Global Carolina--USC's effort to advance internationalization through student engagement, research collaborations, faculty exchanges, and other dual projects and programs.

UofSC sophomore selected for national public policy and leadership conference at Harvard University

Taylor Wright, a sophomore public health major in the Honors College from Goose Creek, S.C., has been selected to attend the 17th annual Public Policy and Leadership Conference at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Robert L. Frank establishes The Elaine M. Frank Endowed Fellowship Fund to support COMD doctoral students

Robert L. Frank has gifted the Arnold School $100,000 to establish an endowment in memory of his wife, Elaine M. Frank, who retired from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2013.

I Am Public Health: Andrew Jones

Primary care physician returned to school to earn a general Master of Public Health degree and complete a preventive medicine residency so he can implement community-clinical linkages in a primary care setting.

Office for the Study of Aging gets new leadership

Arnold School of Public Health administrators Daniela Friedman and Lee Pearson will lend their collective leadership and expertise in aging issues to the Arnold School’s Office for the Study of Aging (OSA) as co-directors.

Distinguished Professor of Exercise Science Larry Durstine elected as Active Fellow in National Academy of Kinesiology

As one of the organization's highest honors, NAK fellowship reinforces the inductees' commitment to exercise science, kinesiology, and public health--a commitment that for Larry Durstine has never wavered.

Exercise Science welcomes Christine Pellegrini, who specializes in using technology to support patient-centered behavioral health interventions

Christine Pellegrini joins the Arnold School's Department of Exercise Science as an assistant professor. She will also be a faculty member in the SmartState Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles.

Mohammad (Rifat) Haider (HSPM) and Sarah (Morgan) Hughey (HPEB) named 2017 Breakthrough Graduate Scholars

Two graduate students from the Arnold School of Public Health have been named 2017 Breakthrough Graduate Scholars. With nominations from across the University, the Office of the VP for Research selects around a dozen outstanding students each year.

Arnold School's Jan Eberth (EPID/BIOS) and Daniel Fogerty (COMD) named 2017 Breakthrough Stars

Arnold School researchers Jan Eberth (EPID/BIOS) and Daniel Fogerty (COMD) are two of only 14 faculty members to be named 2017 Breakthrough Stars by USC's Office of the Vice President for Research.

COMD's Julius Fridriksson receives 2017 Breakthrough Leadership in Research Award

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders' (COMD) Julius Fridriksson has been chosen of one of only six recipients of the 2017 Breakthrough Leadership Award--rounding out an extremely successful year.

COMD attracts and prepares future speech-language pathologists through exceptional clinical placement program

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has built a nationwide network of more than 600 external site partners, matching students with unparalleled opportunities to gain clinical experience in the field of speech-language pathology.

Nominate outstanding Arnold School graduates for one of two Arnold School alumni awards

The Arnold School of Public Health is seeking nominations to recognize outstanding alumni with 2017 awards in two categories: those who graduated in 2006 or earlier and those who graduated in 2007 or later. Recipients will be honored at the 2017 Hooding Ceremony.

Nominate an exceptional Arnold School faculty member for one of three Arnold School faculty awards

The Arnold School of Public Health is seeking nominations to recognize outstanding faculty with one of three 2017 awards in the areas of teaching, research, and service. Recipients will be honored at the 2017 Hooding Ceremony.

December graduate Branham Tomarchio completes general MPH and begins faculty appointment with School of Medicine

Branham Tomarchio, a physician who begun a faculty appointment with the School of Medicine this year, touts the curriculum depth and faculty expertise of the Arnold School's general Master of Public Health program he recently completed.

Researchers examine which groups of parents take on educational debt for their children and how much

HPEB Associate Professor Katrina Walsemann has published research in the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, identifying characteristics of parents with child-related education debt among late baby boomers.

Buz Kloot partners with S.C. farmer to crowdsource more than $25K in funding for the sake of healthy soil

Robin (Buz) Kloot has been a scientist and self-proclaimed soil health nut for years, but he’s only recently discovered the merits of crowdsourcing to fund research on advancing sustainable farming methods that benefit farmers, the environment, and public health.

I Am Public Health: Sonal Mehta

School of Medicine Assistant Professor/Physician pursues Master of Public Health in Health Services Policy and Management degree to enhance research, clinical, and policy aspects of his career.