On September 22, 2022, Goodwin University was awarded a $1,500,000 grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In addition to helping provide equitable health care to people who are geographically isolated and economically or medically vulnerable, HRSA programs support the training of health professionals and distributing them to areas where they are needed most.
At Goodwin, these grant funds will be used to support the Public Health program. Of the total award, $1.35 M will be used for scholarships for students in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program. The grant will also enable additional staff and consultants to network with community partners for practicum sites, widen networks to link graduates to employment opportunities, and revise student learning outcomes to better integrate Social Determinants of Health and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards.
Additionally, Goodwin will be able to offer two new courses, Social & Behavioral Aspects of Public Health and Issues of Diversity and Equity in Public Health, create a Health Informatics track, develop a 4+1 program between the bachelor’s and master’s levels, and build a tracking system for practicum placement, employment, and matriculation into the master’s program.
“Public health protects communities from health threats like the recent pandemic, and yet for such an important profession, our workforce is experiencing an extreme shortage in public health practitioners,” explains Lisa L. Fanelli, program director of Health Science and Public Health at Goodwin. “The HRSA grant will allow us to attract valuable future public health providers by informing, educating, and training them to meet the growing and evolving needs of our communities. Our overarching goal is continuing the work in disease prevention and health and wellness promotion.”
“This grant will open up an exciting world of career options to our Public Health students,” added Goodwin president Mark Scheinberg. “The effects are incredibly far reaching: not only will our students benefit from the scholarship support, but think of the underserved communities that will eventually be improved as a result of their work once they graduate and begin their careers in public health.”
Learn more about Goodwin’s Public Health programs: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree.