Opening Message

Hello OOMPH students! 

I hope you are feeling hopeful with the arrival of March, as the weather – at least here in the Bay Area – warms and rains subside (maybe?). As I started to write this message that comes during Women’s History Month, I came across several excellent quotes and resources, some of which I will highlight here. Dr. Nneka Dennie, co-founder of the Black Women’s Studies Association, said, “Celebrations are fine, but celebrating doesn’t mean we’ve crossed a finish line.” And, when asked about Black History Month (February), Morgan Freeman, said, “I don’t want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.” Similarly, I think we can easily argue that Women’s History Month is humanity’s history and should be more thoroughly integrated into our understanding of history. If you’re skeptical and believe that Women’s History gets equal attention, I would encourage you to check out the test that Kimberle’ Crenshaw gave to her audience in the first 3 minutes of her Ted Talk on intersectionality. While more fully integrating Women’s history into our knowledge and understanding deserves more than a month, I also think there are moments that we can use to reflect more deeply and help energize us as we move towards the finish line. We can also take time to celebrate, kind of like a birthday party even though there is not just one day when we age, sadly. To that end, I highlight just a few of the notable women and their achievements that occurred since last Women’s History Month:

• Justice Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to join the Supreme Court
• Karine Jean-Pierre, the first Black and openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as the White House Press Secretary
• Nicole Aunapu Mann, the first Native American woman, and Kat Echazarreta, the first Mexican woman, to travel into space.
• Jessica Watson, PhD (@UCLA), the first Black woman to serve aboard the International Space Station
• Anna May Wong, the first Asian American film star, and Wilma Mankiller, first female Cherokee Nation Chief featured on U.S. currency
• Stephanie Allain, the first Black woman to be elected president of The Producers Guild of America

When asked about Women’s History Month, the third female U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, a 35th generation New Mexican and member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, said:

“Women are fierce — we break barriers, run companies, make scientific discoveries, raise families, and lift each other up. But the fact is, discriminatory policies blocked women from fully participating in our country for generations. It led to disparities in wages, representation and opportunities that we are still tackling. Though we have more Native women serving in Congress, a woman of color in the vice president’s office, and women making moves across the country, we still have to recognize that the disadvantages that we face are created by a system designed to keep us out, and that, coupled with systemic racism, makes Women’s History Month all the more important.”

I hope that you can use this month as a chance to learn more about incredible women in history, and in the present. If you need options, check out the podcast Encyclopedia Womannica, where the producers state, “Thinking back to our history classes growing up, we had one question: Where the ladies at? Enter, Womanica. In just 5 minutes a day, learn about different incredible women from throughout history. On Wonder Media Network’s award-winning podcast, we’re telling the stories of women you may or may not know — but definitely should.”

I hope this is one of the best March months you’ve ever had, and I hope you can take time to reflect and learn about the world that has been forged by women who kept moving society towards the finish line.

Warmly, Jay

OOMPH Faculty Director

Announcements

Important Dates and Deadlines



• Thursday, March 16, 2023 Tuition and registration fees: third installment of fee Payment Plan
• Friday, March 31, 2023 Academic & administrative holiday
• Sunday, March 26, 2023 Fall 2023 Schedule of classes and enrollment appointments released
• Friday, April 21, 2023 Deadline to enroll for W200E and W289 for Summer 1. 
• Thursday, April 13, 2023 - Tuition and registration fees: fourth installment of fee Payment Plan
• Monday, April 17, 2023 Phase I enrollment for continuing students for Fall 2023. Please check CalCentral for your specific appointment time: CalCentral > MyAcademics > Class Enrollment and select Fall 2023.

Course Enrollment

Summer 2023 Enrollment

Please note: We've been informed by the Office of the Registrar that Summer enrollment cards will be activated in CalCentral for OOMPH students sometime this week. We will send out a stand alone announcement as soon as you are able to enroll in your Summer courses.

We encourage OOMPH students to be enrolled in no more than six units of courses for Summer 2023. Once enrollment cards are available, login to your CalCentral portal to enroll in courses. You can also find the summer 2023 course schedule and course enrollment numbers on the Gateway Program Calendar page.

Summer Course Dates:

• Summer 1: May 8 - June 25, 2023*
• Summer 2: June 26 - August 13, 2023

*Summer Schedule:

W289 Enrollment Instructions (only for students who have completed W200E): 

W289 - Students will need to enroll in all 3 class components of W289: 1. Lecture (Class #14992), 2. Web-Based Lecture (#15002), 3. Web-Based Discussion (#15001)

Unit Limit:  

If you are a second-year student and would like to register for more than six units of courses (also known as “doubling up"), you will need approval from your Program Manager or Academic Faculty Advisor.

Fall 2023 Enrollment

We encourage all OOMPH students to be registered for no more than six units of courses for Fall 2023. Please login to your CalCentral  portal to register for courses. You can also find the Fall 2023 course schedule and course enrollment numbers on the Gateway Program Calendar page. 

Announcement: PHW260 (Infectious Diseases) will not be offered in Fall 1 of 2023. OOMPH leadership is working with the instructor and IDV division to see if an offering in the following Academic Year will be possible. Please stay tuned.

Please make sure to enroll in 6 units to be eligible for financial aid during the registration period. 

The Financial Aid & Scholarships office is in the process of setting up the cost of attendance and financial aid packages for summer 2023. The goal is to have it ready by mid-March but this time frame is subject to change. Disbursement for Summer Financial Aid: Summer 1 (May 8 - June 25, 2023):Financial Aid will be disbursed on Monday, May 15, 2023 (tentatively); Summer 2 (June 26 - August 13, 2023): Financial Aid will be disbursed on Friday, June 16, 2023

Note: Graduate students in the OOMPH program will be awarded an unsubsidized loan for $16,500 and Graduate PLUS loan up to the summer cost of attendance. Additional information on summer financial aid can be found on the financial aid website and OOMPH Program Fees.

An informational webinar for students will be held on Monday, April 10, 12pm PT to discuss this opportunity in depth. Joe Franco, program host and The Washington Campus' VP of Programs & Development, will provide details. Register in advance for this webinar:

https://berkeley.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JQ0b05t5TNm9sGdYSoX05w

Questions? Please contact kdoss@berkeley.edu or cathy_garza@berkeley.edu 

Be a competition judge for the 2023 BioEHSC™!

The Bioengineering High School Competition (BioEHSC™) is a 7-week competition that immerses teams of 4-5 high school students in a thought-provoking bioengineering design project, with the goal to provide a solution to a current problem in biology or medicine. At the end of the competition, teams present their final projects to be judged by professors, industry representatives, and graduate students in a final research symposium. To provide these scholars feedback on their projects and presentations, we are currently inviting graduate students like you to judge teams.

The competition symposium takes place on Saturday, April 8th, 2023, and will be in-person at UC Berkeley’s campus. Judges are asked to be available from 8:30 am-2:30 pm (this period includes judging, breakfast, lunch, networking opportunities, and a brief training).

Past competitions have yielded a fantastic variety of ideas, such as genetically changing the bitter flavor of brussels sprouts, developing a targeted delivery method for colorectal cancer treatment, making night-light plants, and beyond. With 57 teams participating, this year’s competition will be our most demographically and geographically diverse yet, and the ideas will be among the most diverse and exciting to date!

If you are interested in judging, please fill out this form by March 19th, 11:59PM to help us match your expertise with the proper judging type and category. For more details, you can visit our website or email us at bioehsc@bioehs.berkeley.edu. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Summer Visit 2023 Information

We are excited to have you come to UC Berkeley for our 2023 Summer Visits for W289 Interdisciplinary and  W200E Health Policy and Management. For more updated information on the summer visit, please visit On-campus Summer Visit website today! 

Checklist: Cal1Card

We will have your Cal1Card (student ID card) available on the first day of your on-campus visit. Please follow the following instructions so your cards will be printed. The deadline for your photo submission is May 19, 2023

• Log into your Cal 1 Card account (cal1card.berkeley.edu/login)
• Select the “Upload Photo” link from the menu options on the left
• Review the compliance requirements
• Select “Upload Photo” at the bottom of the page
• If you have a saved photo that is compliant, upload that file
• If you do not have such a photo, find a solid white backdrop and take a selfie to upload

Please note that all holds must be cleared in order for the Cal1Card Office to issue you your card. 

For our students completing their MPH degree this Summer, you are so close to the finish line! Evan will be inviting you to begin the Comprehensive Exam preparation process in April. The Summer 2023 Comp Exam will be offered June 26th- July 5th. For more information about the Comprehensive Exam, please visit our Student Manual Comprehensive Exam section. You can also check out our Comprehensive Exam page in the Student Gateway.

Fellowships

• https://childrens-coalition.org/about-cscc/erin-aaberg-givans-memorial-scholarship/
• The scholarship deadline will be extended has been extended to part-time MPH female students and

 Practicum Opportunities

The below listings reflect recent opportunities, including those with upcoming deadlines. For additional opportunities (including GSI/GSR, practicum, part/full-time), please log in to PHLEX and consider setting up a saved search to receive regular updates in your inbox! Questions? Email publichealthcareers@berkeley.edu.

Additionally, don’t forget that as a UC Berkeley student you also have access to resources through our partners at the central campus Career Center. You can log into Handshake, review listings for open opportunities (tip: set up a saved search), and connect with upcoming events (including employer info sessions and career fairs)!

For support navigating PHLEX/Handshake or any questions related to your career (including resume review, interview prep, etc.), schedule an appointment with the RISE Career Services team!

Check out these Practicum Resources!

● Spring 2023 Practicum Info and Q&A Session Recording 

● Apply to Receive Supplemental Funding

● Schedule an Appointment with your Field Consultant/Career Counselor

Check out the 130+ hour practicum opportunities!

Access PHLEX for a complete list of additional opportunities including GSI/GSR, practicum, and part/full-time. Some of the practicum opportunities you’ll see on PHLEX: 

Nutrition Program Monitor – Dept of Children, Youth & their Families (DCYF) (Remote flexibility), Internship: Wellness and Equity Alliance (Remote), Communications & Graphic Design Intern (Remote), Graduate Research Assistant (Remote flexibility), Commission on Cancer Intern AND MORE!

• Rossmoor Emergency Preparedness Organization (EPO) [MPH Practicum 130+ hours] Apply now! (Hiring Immediately)
• US BD / Commercialization Intern (Remote), PenguinSmart [MPH Practicum: 130+ hours/ Summer 400+ hours/Internship] basic stipend provided, Apply now! (Hiring Immediately)