Each Spring, the University of Maryland School of Public Health recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated excellence and dedication in their educational and public health service activities.

This year’s Celebration of Scholarships and Student Awards, which took place on Thursday, May 11, honored more than 100 students who received scholarships, fellowships and awards in 2022 and 2023.

The President's Commission on Women's Issues recently honored Professor Amy R. Sapkota, interim director of the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, and Sahra Ibrahimi, a family science doctoral student, with its Women of Influence Awards, recognizing their efforts to work Fearlessly Forward with and for women on campus and in the community.

By Sala Levin ’10

Growing up in quiet Ellicott City, Md., Sophia D’Alonzo ’24 didn’t give much thought to the possibility of an environmental catastrophe in her hometown. But in 2016 and 2018, Ellicott City’s historic main street was ravaged by tremendous flooding–meteorologists termed both incidents “1,000-year floods,” and they killed three people.

The Gamma Zeta chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health is pleased to announce its 2022 inductees. At the virtual induction ceremony and poster awards reception on May 6, 2022, Dean Boris Lushniak, Principal Associate Dean Dushanka Kleinman, inducted 17 students, four faculty members, two alumni and one honorary member, Dr. Dianna Abney.

We are proud of all of the participants that contributed to the richness of the 2022 SPH Research, Practice and Innovation Poster Session and Student Poster Competition.

This semester, Dr. Kathleen (Kate) McPhaul will leverage her expertise and experience protecting workers to teach the School of Public Health's first undergraduate course on occupational health in six years. The class, which is open to Public Health Science majors, introduces students to the field of occupational health and safety and emphasizes that workers' health should be considered in all public health practices and policies.

The University of Maryland School of Public Health has surpassed its fundraising goal for the University of Maryland's campaign, Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland. The School's record $26.3M raised reflects a 188% increase from our original goal of $14M for the period July 2014 through December 2021.

The University of Maryland will be holding its campuswide Spring 2021 Commencement in person on Friday, May 21, 2021. In order to accommodate all graduates while practicing safe physical distancing, the ceremonies will be held at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. The School of Public Health's designated ceremony time is at 4 p.m. 

Near the end of each academic year, School of Public Health faculty, staff, students, families and friends look forward to honoring our outstanding students through the SPH Convocation.

Over 24 hours on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, the University of Maryland School of Public Health community came together virtually to support our research initiatives, scholarships and educational programs. 278 donors—alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students—gave a total of $220,724, an increase of more than 137 percent from the previous year. That placed the School of Public Health at #2 on the leaderboard after Athletics for most funds raised during Giving Day.