Students from across various majors huddle in chatty groups at the School of Public Health to research and brainstorm solutions to public health issues in Prince George’s County. Where do they begin? With the knowledge in local communities.
“When I teach our fellows, I focus on community-centered research, because this is the most sustainable way to go about implementing change,” said Madeleine Eng ‘28, the think tank’s associate director of teaching and recruitment and a neuroscience and public policy double major.
“We want to increase the civic engagement and partnership between the university and our surrounding communities."
Started in 2021 by SPH alumni Daniel Fong '23 and Isha Yardi ‘23, the Terrapin Think Tank today includes 14 student fellows from across UMD. This year’s cohort is collaborating with Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) on three projects: creating an environmental health justice campaign, partnering with the county’s health department to assess the need for hospital beds across the county and developing a free first-aid training for community members.
“Our goal is to improve the quality of life and health for the PG County communities and we want all students to partake in that. So Terrapin Think Tank is open to any UMD student, regardless of their major,” said Angela Kabiwa ‘28, the organization’s associate director of communications and a public health science major.
“Students are able to apply what they learn in the class to real-world issues.” As a fellow, Kabiwa helped establish mobile health units to address PG County’s physician shortage.
Our goal is to improve the quality of life and health for the PG County communities and we want all students to partake in that. So Terrapin Think Tank is open to any UMD student.
Supported by SPH Drs. Sylvette La Touche-Howard and Tracy Zeeger, the think tank is entirely student-led, with previous fellows like Eng in charge of teaching students about local policy and advocacy as well as guiding them in developing their projects.
“As a past fellow, I can give more impactful recommendations and help students through the whole process. It makes it more personal to students,” said Eng.
“We are providing a meaningful way for other students to engage in their local community and be able to use public health data to actively make a difference.”
Fellows are tasked with researching and presenting solutions to local health issues in a white paper presented at the end of the semester. Some student proposals will be implemented as actionable group projects next spring.
One of the first TTT white papers by fellows working with PG County Health Department considered the gap between fact-based health communications and what performs best on social media, particularly for young people. It resulted in a social media strategy that both combats misinformation and speaks to local youth’s health concerns in engaging ways. The county now offers a social media student internship to continue the project’s work.
In this way think tank fellows seek out local knowledge, regularly working with the county departments, county emergency and medical services, local non-profits like La Clinica del Pueblo and even the Student Health Advisory Committee at UMD health center.
There is always hope — Terrapin Think Tank is a great way to make sustainable, long-lasting change in the community.
Akunna Okonkwo ‘27, an aspiring lawyer who plans to work in health systems in sub-Saharan Africa, applied to gain more concrete skills in health policy work.
“Terrapin Think Tank felt like the perfect platform to gain experience through a structured course, which lessens the anxiety that comes with being in a new field,” said Okonkwo.
The Youth Safety and Support Initiative (YSSI) is Okonkwo’s proposal for PGCPS to prioritize student voices, school climate and trauma-informed support over punitive discipline. She appreciates how Terrapin Think Tank allows UMD resources and opportunities to benefit both students on campus and the surrounding community.
“There is always hope,” Okonkwo said. “And Terrapin Think Tank is a great way to make long-lasting change in the community.”
— Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly