A love for sports and a passion for helping others were the twin drivers behind alumni Dr. Dillon Balkin’s career.

Among the fun and games at Boris' Block Party - the close to this year's School of Public Health Welcome Week - we caught up with some SPH undergraduates to hear why they chose to study public health and what they hope to do and be in the future! Many of our undergraduates are keenly aware of inequities within our public health systems and plan to use what they learn here at UMD to improve the lives of people in communities outside of their classrooms.

Vonai Moyo '13 knew her dual passions from the start— as a child she dreamed of becoming a pediatrician and since the first grade she devoted herself to gymnastics.  At UMD’s School of Public Health (SPH) she nurtured these two loves and transformed them into two dynamic careers: working as a physician assistant (PA) and as a rookie member of the renowned New England Patriots

Congratulations to SPH faculty and staff who received annual awards honoring outstanding teaching, public health practice, service, mentoring and commitment to the school’s success and community during the 2023-2024 academic year! 

For about 30 campers from Prince George’s County, this summer is a time for sports – all the sports. They’re playing soccer, flag football, frisbee and more. And – judging by the smiles even on a hot day at the University of Maryland campus – they’re having a fantastic time.

Sidiki Keita ’23 has always had a passion for physical activity. An avid athlete, his love for sports such as wrestling and track led him to pursue a degree in kinesiology. This spring, Keita was awarded the Whitlark Endowed Scholarship for his strong academics, potential for leadership in public health and commitment to integrating physical activity and public health. He plans on becoming a physician assistant (PA) and will apply to PA school.

At the annual Maryland Research Excellence Celebration on April 16, more than 200 outstanding scholars and researchers, nominated by their deans, were recognized for their research success and visibility.

Students from across the University of Maryland gathered at the School of Public Health to showcase their research during the annual SPH Public Health Research & Practice Day on Wednesday, April 4, one of several events taking place in SPH as part of National Public Health Week.

Students and instructors from across the world will soon be connected with those in the University of Maryland School of Public Health community, thanks to grants awarded to several SPH departments and faculty to establish new global public health classrooms.

Terps like to say that they are “fearless”, always pushing “fearlessly forward”. For SPH Dean’s Council member Deborah Gebhardt, Ph.D. ’79, “fearless” means jumping into the action, not always knowing what lies ahead. This trailblazer has spent a lifetime breaking barriers and forging a path of excellence, from early days playing baseball alongside the boys in her Hazleton, Pennsylvania, neighborhood, to founding a company that regularly counsels leaders of the nation’s largest organizations.