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Opening Message

Dear Students,


It has been a wonderful whirlwind of a first month. I am learning a lot about OOMPH curriculum, faculty, admissions, and you - our OOMPH students! All of this data helps to strategize about how to evolve OOMPH. One such evolution will appear in Spring 2024. With a generous donation from the Barr-Campbell Foundation we are establishing a Rural Health Innovation program (RHI) at OOMPH. RHI will provide full scholarships to 100 rural health focused students each year (25/yr for four years). We expect to welcome our first class of RHI Scholars in January of 2024. If you have contacts and networks in the rural health space, please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with your network. You can read about the program here and interested prospective students can complete this student interest form.


I hope your spring semester is going well. Feel free to contact me (cathy_garza@berkeley.edu) with any questions or suggestions.


Go Bears!

Cathy
 

Monthly Observance

Dear OOMPH Students, 


I know you have already heard from me at the start of Black History Month, however, I was invited to write something special just for you. While I am happy to share about why the month is important to me, I rather spend this moment sharing about something that may better appeal to your soul.


As students in the OOMPH program you may be balancing academics, employment, and personal responsibilities. Your 24 hours are being shared in a way that, while temporary, may be tiring some days: mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc. You are doing an amazing job at managing it all. Yet, I want to remind you how important rest is. I want you to stop and recognize that embedded in colonial structures is competition that celebrates those that “put in the work.” Let’s pause and even discuss this in relation to the OOMPH program. I happen to be old enough to remember the onset of online programs and all the marketing was about giving employees the opportunity to work AND go to school. Here we are, years later, three years amid a global pandemic, and we are still operating in this colonial sense of urgency. 


While I ask you to enjoy course content by scholars from the African diaspora, I want you to rest. Consider resources like The Nap Ministry; journaling a reflection to the quote,“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare,” by Audre Loude; or consider reading the book, The Grind Culture DeTox: Heal Yourself from the Poisonous Intersection of Racism, Capitalism, and the Need to Produce  by Heather Archer. 


Below is a very brief history of the Black History Month and why it is important for us in the US.


History of Black History Month

As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” 


Online/On-Demand Resources

Black History Online Content and Exhibitions from the National Library of Congress et al. 

National Museum of African American History and Culture Digital Resources

National Museum of African Art  Youtube Channel


Ché L. Abram

Chief of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
 

Important Announcements

Important Dates and Deadlines: 

  • February 21, 2023: Academic & Administrative Holiday (President’s Day)
  • February 24, 2023: Deadline to change grading option for Spring 1 courses
  • Febriary 27, 2023: Deadline to Add/Drop/Swap via self-service (CalCentral) at 11:59PM. These actions require program manager approval and processing after this date.

Student Newsletter Survey | Win a $25 Gift Certificate!

We are celebrating our 2 year anniversary with the OOMPH Monthly Student Newsletter! From the start, the goal of the newsletter was to centralize the program’s communications in order for you to receive the most current information in a concise way. The top clicks in 2022 were the program calendar, summer visit, course catalog, SHIP, and Calcentral located on the Student Gateway. Thank you for being engaged readers! 


We want to make sure this newsletter is meeting your needs academically, professionally and culturally. Please take a few minutes to complete our newsletter survey. Let us know what information you would like to receive and when. For those who complete the survey, two lucky winners will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Cal Student Store.

Student Gateway

The Student Gateway is your one stop shop for all the program related information you need to know.


Did you know? You can “Submit a Ticket” using the button on the bottom right corner of the Student Gateway website if any information is incorrect, needs to be added or is out of date.  We appreciate your help!
 

Congratulations to our

Fall 2022 Graduates!

Virginia Chan

Timothy Lee

Benjamin Schrider

Raymond Chau

Saira Mayet

Michelle Schroeder

Emily Cowdrey

Leili Najmabadi

Neyousha Shahisavandi

Valentino Daltoso

Deepa Pendse

Antoinette Stetzenmeyer

Nozomi Fukui

Farinaz Pirshirazi

Manasa Susarla

Edgardo Gamarra Monteverde

Zoel Quinonez

Patrick Traynor

Alexandra Goen

Rae-Ann Santos

Zachary Werlinger

Donna Hackley

Saori Satake

Katharina Whitsett
 

Group Advising Sessions - Save the Date!

Group Advising for First Year Students (Fall 2022 & Spring 2023 Admits)


Join us for our First Year Group Advising Session on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 5 PM - 6 PM (PST) via Zoom.

This workshop will provide you tools to enroll in the required summer courses, summer visit and how to select your fall 2023 courses. More details to come. 


Group Advising Concentration for Second Year Students


Mark your Calendars! Join us for our Group Advising Sessions for Second Year students this March. These workshops will provide you the opportunity to review the 2022-23 course offerings, summer visit and answer questions about concentration course selections. Sessions will be recorded. More details to come. 


  • Wednesday, 3/1/2023 - Epi/Bio Group Advising Session | 5PM - 6 PM (PST)
  • Tuesday, 3/7/2023 - Nutrition Group Advising Session | 5PM - 6 PM (PST)
  • Wednesday, 3/8/2023 - Health Policy and Management Group Advising Session | 5PM - 6 PM (PST)
  • Monday, 3/13/2023 - Interdisciplinary Group Advising Session | 5PM - 6 PM (PST)


If you require accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact oomph_prog_mgr@berkeley.edu.
 

Events

OOMPH Events

Summer Visit 2023

A comprehensive guide for both Summer Visits will be posted to the Student Gateway in the coming weeks, so please keep an eye out. Important dates listed below: 

  • PHW200E HPM Breadth (required 1st year course)
  • Course Dates: May 8 – June 25, 2023
  • Campus Visit Dates: Monday, June 19 – Friday, June 23, 2023
  • PHW289 Interdisciplinary Seminar (required 2nd year course)
  • Course Dates: May 8 – June 25, 2022
  • Campus Visit Dates: 
  • Option 1: Tuesday, May 30 – Sunday, June 4, 2023: schedule TBA
  • Option 2: Saturday, June 3 – Thursday, June 8, 2023: schedule TBA

SPH Events

Decolonizing Global Health - Global Health Practicum Workshop

  • Thursday (9:30am-10:30am PT) - Virtual - For more information and to receive the zoom link, please register on PHLEX.
  • Please join us for the next workshop in our series of workshops for students focused Global Public Health, Decolonizing Global Health. The global health practicum workshop series aims to support/prepare BPH students who are working globally during their practica/capstones. Our student community has a wide range of experience in global health and participation of those who have little experience is as welcome as those who are quite experienced.

SAVE THE DATE! OOMPH Pre-Commencement Celebration

BPH Commencement
 

Student Spotlight

Katie Webb

Congratulations to Katie Webb! Katie will be starting the Environmental Health Sciences PhD Program at the University of Washington this Fall. 


"I have always had an interest in environmental causes. The OOMPH program helped me see environmental issues as social determinants of health, and I am excited to be continuing in a program that emphasizes social justice. My area of focus will be nutrition and environmental issues related to food production."


Thank you for tackling this vital public health challenge!

Team of Global Health Fellows

Congratulations to the OOMPH Global Health Fellows: Susan Awor, Efison Dhodho, Asiphas Owaraganise, Amete Mihret Teshale, alumni Eunice Ndzerem-Shang and Professor, Sandra McCoy in the Division of Epidemiology their blog article was published in the November 2022 issue of BMJ Journal blog.
 

Academic Support
  • The Diversity, Respect, Equity, Action, Multiculturalism (DREAM) Office provides a variety of tutoring from current grad students (both by appointment, drop-in and group sessions) for writing support for papers, capstones and projects.

For writing support, please sign up at sphwritingtutor.setmore.com
 

Career and Practicum

 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!


Some of the new practicum opportunities: 


Don’t forget! Other open practicum opportunities: 

Practicum Funding Opportunities 

RISE Practice Awards (OOMPH): Spring & Summer 2023

As part of the RISE Office’s commitment to enhancing the public health training of UC Berkeley’s OOMPH students, we are providing awards to supplement practice opportunities hosted by organizations that face fiscal challenges compensating a graduate-level student completing their 130-hour practicum requirement. These awards also recognize graduate students' interest in a professional career in public health, particularly in working with underserved areas and/or populations to address health disparities. Please email rise.bph@berkeley.edu for any questions.


Apply Here: bit.ly/RISEAwardsOOMPH23


Don’t forget: Check out the 2022-2023 Practicum Funding Resources (on the RISE student google site) for more on the latest known funding opportunities that may be well suited for your practicum!

Career & Practicum Support Opportunities

Career & Practicum Drop-In Hours!

Join a RISE team member during office hours for a brief resume review, practicum check-in, or to ask a career question. 

OOMPH Qualitative Support Program: Book an Appointment in PHLEX! 

Are you an OOMPH student in need of quantitative support for your practicum?


Current OOMPH students who are engaged in a practicum have the ability to schedule an appointment on PHLEX to meet with Dr. Catherine Metayer, Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, for support on topics related to quantitative methodologies. Eligible students, those with an active practicum and have submitted their practicum confirmation form, should have received an email invitation. If you did not receive an invite email but believe you should be eligible, please contact publichealthcareer@berkeley.edu.


Topics covered include but are not limited to refining research question(s), mapping analytic plans, data management strategies, reporting results, and preparing a protocol for protection of human subjects (IRB). Statistical software support will not be covered in these sessions. Please see the D-Lab for support related to statistical software. 


Questions related to practicum outside of quantitative support will also not be covered in these sessions, as these can be addressed by your Practicum Field Consultant: Kandis (Interdisciplinary, PHN) or Sara (Epi/Bio, HPM). Please schedule an appointment (via PHLEX) or reach out via email: Kandis (krodgers@berkeley.edu) or Sara (ayazi@berkeley.edu).
 
OOMPH | 2121 Berkeley Way West, UC Berkeley Public Health, Berkeley, CA 94720 https://onlinemph.berkeley.edu
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