Public Health  News

325 undergraduates;
131 masters candidates;
24 students earning certificates of advanced study, and;
4 Ph.D. students.

Through the month of May, departments across Falk College honored student achievements and celebrated the graduating Class of 2022, which are detailed on individual department websites.

Falk College Convocation was held Saturday, May 14 at Manley Field House. Falk College Convocation, other college convocations, and the May 15 Syracuse University Commencement ceremony, were recorded and are available to view on the Syracuse University commencement website and is also included below.

Falk College Convocation | Saturday, May 14 | 4:30 p.m. ET

Falk College Convocation Photos

Thirteen members of the Class of 2022 have been named Falk College Scholars. Falk Scholars represent undergraduate students who display academic excellence, exceptional campus and community engagement, independent research and creative work, innovation in their disciplinary field, and personal integrity. Designation as a Falk Scholar is the highest academic award conferred by Falk College on graduating seniors.

We asked the Class of 2022 Falk Scholars to describe their most meaningful experiences at Syracuse University and here’s what they wrote:

Drew Disanto, Sport Analytics

Syracuse has brought me numerous opportunities, memories, and experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My most important experience was through the Syracuse Soccer Analytics Club. My peers and I started the club during my freshman year, despite knowing very little about analytics or programming. As its vice president, this club was extremely helpful in giving me first-hand experience with data, programming, and data analysis.

Even more memorable was the aftermath of the club. Submitting our club work to various conferences and competitions was exhilarating enough. When our paper started to win and place at these competitions, I was ecstatic. It was validating to see our hard work being recognized and praised by several industry professionals. This club was exceedingly beneficial to my career here at Syracuse, and I do not think I’d be where I am today without everything I learned through it.

Samantha Jezak, Nutrition Science and Dietetics

Falk College has been a close community for me over the past exciting, rigorous, and innovative 4 years of my life. I quickly became involved in nutrition research my freshman year. It wasn’t necessarily what I had formulated in my head (white lab coat, goggles, combustion); it was literature review, consisting of PubMed readings after readings and discussions with my research advisor, Dr. (Jessica) Garay. Little did I know these readings would lead to the research project that has ultimately defined my career path.

It sounds glamorous to be a “scientist,” but nobody tells you about the tedious work that must be done behind the scenes to bring a project to life. As demanding as it was, I am so fortunate to have the experience of writing, applying, and conducting my own research project, especially alongside one of my most well-respected peers, Olivia Templeton. This research experience has taught me things that can’t be taught in the classroom. I am honored to say that Falk College has molded me into a well-prepared individual for pursuing a career I am truly passionate about. I look forward to continuing to explore nutrition research through a graduate program in Biochemical and Molecular Nutrition at Tufts University.

Preston Klaus, Sport Analytics

Syracuse University has provided me with a multitude of experiences including, but not limited to, a negotiation class in the law school and the first ever Name, Image, and Likeness course in the country (in the Department of Sport Management). However, my most rewarding one has come this year leading the Basketball Analytics Club.

The club introduces basketball analytics in a fun way to a new audience and connects people through sport. I have seen the club transform from a small group of students without structure to a true university community that can carry the club forward. It has been incredibly rewarding to give back to the younger students who want to follow a similar path. Leading this club has transformed my presentational skills and Syracuse University has helped me mature into the person I am today.

Mackenzie Mangos, Sport Analytics

The most influential experience has been my founding/serving as president of the Sport Analytics Women (SAW) Club. After my freshman year, I saw a need for this club – we only had three females in the entire major! Not only is this a problem in the program, but in the industry as well.

The club serves as a positive advocate for women in sport analytics. It is very rewarding to see the club making a difference and it allows the female underclassmen to have supportive upperclassmen to look up to, something I wish I had when I was a freshman. Syracuse University has helped me to grow as a person and as a leader.

Nathan Redmond, Exercise Science

One of the most important experiences I have had at Syracuse University is the time I have spent with Syracuse University Ambulance (SUA). I became a member of SUA my freshman year and since then I have been responsible for providing emergency medical care to the Syracuse University campus and the surrounding communities. Within SUA I have held many positions, including mentor to the incoming members. I am responsible for teaching and training new members in the basic skills and assessment strategies necessary for their role on the ambulance.

SUA has been a place of support, community, family, loyalty, and genuine care during my tenure at Syracuse University. Additionally, I have worked as a crew chief, driver, trainer, and special event supervisor, which has been extremely impactful on my development as an EMS provider but more importantly helped to develop my leadership, teaching, personal growth, and public speaking skills. In general, SUA has reinforced my commitment and passion to becoming a physician.

Dominic Samangy, Sport Analytics

Over the past four years at Syracuse, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to spend each one with the men’s basketball team as a student manager. Being able to work closely with Coach (Jim) Boeheim and his accomplished coaching staff has been an eye-opening experience and has certainly guided me in my development as a basketball professional.

I’ve also spent the past few years collaborating with my classmates and professors on research studies covering basketball and soccer topics. Through such efforts, I’ve had to opportunity to present work at prestigious conferences such as the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference, and I’ll travel to London this May to represent SU and Falk College at the 8th Western Conference on Football and Finance. Outside of my time on campus, I’ve also utilized my Falk-driven skillset to serve as a consultant for NBA agencies over the past two NBA Draft classes. All in all, my time at Falk College at Syracuse University has not only prepared me for my future in sports but has provided a family and support system that I am truly grateful for.

Cooper Shawver, Sport Analytics

The most important experience I had during my time at Syracuse University and Falk College was joining the Baseball Sabermetrics Club. The club inspired my desire to pursue both baseball competitions and research. For example, myself and four other students won the Arizona Sabermetrics Case Competition for our work researching pitchers’ effectiveness for the third time through a batting order.

Also, I am currently finishing my senior thesis on Major League Baseball player valuation. Despite all my experiences at Falk being memorable, the Baseball Sabermetrics Club had the greatest influence on my career at Syracuse University.

Choyang Lorane Sherpa, Social Work

Throughout my four years at Syracuse University, one of the most influential experiences was becoming involved in Kesem. Kesem is a student-led, nonprofit organization that provides a week-long, free summer camp, in addition to a year-long support system, for children affected by a parent or guardian’s cancer.

Joining this organization my freshman year has granted me the opportunity to grow and develop my skills as a leader. It has undoubtedly influenced who I am as a person, my career goals, friendships, and connections I have made with the community and the families in the Syracuse area.

Dorbor Tarley, Human Development and Family Science

In my sophomore year, I began an independent research study under Dr. Matthew Mulvaney that explored bias against Black maternal patients. My research focused on investigating the interpersonal factors that might underlie the insensitivity toward Black women in medical spaces. My research experience has led to my involvement with SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement) as a student research mentor, my involvement as a McNair scholar, and my current role as a peer health advocate at Planned Parenthood.

Given the significance of my research findings, I worked with the McNair Scholars Program and SOURCE to present my research locally and nationally. With my research, I was able to funnel my passions into a critically engaged study that might impact medicine’s understanding of the Black maternal health crisis. Overall, my experiences at Syracuse engaging in research and civic engagement developed into a passion for health equity. This passion catalyzed my desire to study public health and get my Master of Science in Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Olivia Templeton, Nutrition Science and Dietetics

The most important experience I have gained at Syracuse University was piloting my own research study analyzing how diet quality changes when converting from an omnivore (meat-eating) diet to a vegetarian diet. Through SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement), I was able to receive grants to fund the research, which allowed participants to visit the ACE Center (Nutrition Assessment, Consultation and Education) within Falk College for lab visits. Participating in research was one of the reasons I chose to attend Syracuse University, and I am grateful this came to fruition.

Cathryn Willing, Public Health

As a first-year public health student, I enrolled in the Healthy You Practicum course taught by Dr. Luvenia Cowart. I quickly came to love writing and talking about health issues and found the formula and publication process extremely interesting. After my first semester, in which I was published twice, I reached out to Dr. Cowart to see if I could continue writing for the magazine and the following summer, Dr. Cowart reached out to me asking if I would be interested in a copy editor position.

I attribute much of my successes to the magazine and Dr. Cowart. She trusted me to lead the program, which naturally helped me grow as writer and editor. In my last few semesters working with the magazine, we expanded the magazine’s production team and I was promoted to managing editor. I wrote an article about a new–at the time–faculty member, Dr. Bernard Appiah, and we later became colleagues on a research project funded by SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement). I truly think of Falk College and my public health experience in terms of the magazine and the five publications I was able to oversee from an editorial position. Given the freedom to expand my creativity through writing, editing, and leading is something I will forever be grateful for.

Megan Willkens, Public Health

The most rewarding experience throughout my time at Falk College was becoming involved with undergraduate research. In collaboration with Dr. David Larsen, I completed a project assessing the association between indoor residual spray for malaria control and child cognitive development in sub-Saharan Africa.

This research led to other opportunities, including my contribution to conduct a survey that assessed the capacity of New York State wastewater treatment plants to support wastewater surveillance for COVID-19, and data analysis with the New York State Health Department to expand the NYS wastewater surveillance program. In combination, these experiences have allowed me to develop skills in research and grow personally and professionally.

Sewina Yu, Exercise Science

It is difficult to choose just one experience that has been the most important or impactful on me. However, being in Dr. Joon Young Kim’s Clinical Research Lab in the Department of Exercise Science has taught me invaluable analytical and research skills. I was able to present two research critiques at an international conference, submit a proposal for an undergraduate SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement) grant, learn about IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval, and submit a poster for Falk Research Day.

I am so grateful to have had these opportunities and experiences in Dr. Kim’s lab. Along with this experience, working at the Barnes Center as a personal trainer has also helped me apply what I have learned in my exercise science classes to guide clients toward their fitness and health goals. These two experiences taught me skills that will undoubtedly help me succeed at physical therapy school.

Before they graduate and make an impact in the world, Falk College seniors Claire Rein, Tucker Kopp and Caroline King made their impact on the Syracuse University campus as interns with the University’s Sustainability Management team.

Rein, Kopp and King interned in the Fall 2021 semester through Sustainability Management’s for-credit internship program that allows students to pursue projects that complement their major and explore their interest in sustainability.

“Our internship program is designed to allow students to explore their passions outside of the classroom environment while recognizing the broad impact sustainability has on all majors,” says sustainability coordinator Meg Lowe G’18, who manages the internship program. “At the same time, each project a student works on helps us achieve our goals with a current program or develop a new initiative on campus.”

Rein’s internship project focused on reducing plastic consumption, Kopp explored food insecurity, and King drafted a plan to implement more renewable energy on campus. Rein, who transferred to Syracuse in the fall of 2019, says her internship has so far been the highlight of her Syracuse experience.

“My internship made up for many of the things that I missed out on (because of pandemic restrictions),” Rein says. “I have incredibly supportive and friendly supervisors, as well as other amazing student interns that have made my experience so amazing! While I have learned a lot by doing my research project, I have also gained both a professional network and some great friendships.”

Sustainability Management works with each student’s advisor to ensure the internship aligns with the student’s academic goals, and a single internship can offer the chance to become immersed in several aspects of sustainability.

“We work closely with academic advisors to ensure we’re meeting the needs of every program,” Lowe says. “We hope each student walks away with a thorough understanding of sustainability in a way they can carry it throughout their life.”

As the three Falk College students concluded their internships, they shared more about their projects and experiences with us. Here are their stories:

Claire Rein: Set Up for Success

Growing up in Syracuse just a few miles from the University, Rein enjoyed singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and, of course, attending Syracuse Orange sporting events. She was attracted to Falk College’s Department of Public Health because of its experiential learning–the “the real-life application of knowledge” that she says has prepared her for a successful career in medicine.

“In my studies of public health, I have gained significant knowledge about the American healthcare system, healthcare disparities and social determinants of health, and how to do scientific research,” says Rein, who currently works as a patient care technician at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. “I have been able to work with a high school equivalency class, participate in PTSD research, work at the Office of Sustainability Management for my internship, and much more.”

For her internship project on reducing plastic consumption on campus, Rein researched microplastics and their connection to public health, the issues with plastic recycling, and the social justice issues surrounding the plastic industry. She determined that aluminum cans are the best alternative and created a proposal for the University to transition to aluminum packaging for its vending machines.

“While the goals of recycling are great, the actual implementation does not match up,” Rein says. “Oftentimes, recyclables get contaminated and never end up being recycled, meaning they are either put in a landfill, incinerated, or end up polluting the natural environment.

“The industry was never designed to support such a large volume of recyclables,” Rein adds, “so our lack of recycling infrastructure in America has made it so that it’s sometimes not worth it economically to recycle.”

As she looks forward to graduation, Rein says she wants to positively influence the healthcare sphere by improving the experience for patients who are often overlooked and vulnerable.

“This could be, for example, implementing policies within my practice to better educate care plans to people with low healthcare literacy or language/cultural barriers; focusing care plans on the individual needs, perspectives and abilities of the patient; or finding ways to prevent socio-economic status from hindering the ability to receive excellent long-term care,” Rein says. “I believe being a public health major at Syracuse has really set me up for success when it comes to achieving these goals.”

Tucker Kopp: Ending Food Insecurity

Kopp grew up about 20 miles southeast of Syracuse in Cazenovia, where he started to ride horses when he was just 3. He also enjoyed baking and would spend hours baking with a friend, who sadly passed away last year.

Kopp enrolled at Syracuse University through InclusiveU, which provides opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to experience college life in a fully inclusive setting. Kopp is a Food Studies major at Falk College, where his passion for baking and food is matched only by his enthusiasm for making friends.

“I’m a people person,” Kopp says, “I love to meet new people and make friends.”

Kopp is in his internship year at InclusiveU, and with Sustainability Management he studied food insecurity on college campuses. As Kopp points out, the Hendricks Chapel food pantry at Syracuse is stocked with food and personal care items that are available at no cost to all students with a valid Syracuse University or SUNY ESF ID.

“The most important thing I wish people knew about food insecurity on a college campus is how to use a food pantry if you don’t have enough money to buy food for yourself,” Kopp says.

InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults says Kopp grew “personally and professionally” from his internship, which was a valuable piece of his experience at the University and tied together his certificate in Culinary Arts with his career goals.

“After working alongside Meg (Lowe) and his other colleagues, Tucker better understands where food comes from and how hard it can be for some to access it,” Shults says. “Tucker valued his opportunities to participate in other projects, such as the virtual cooking class. His work at Sustainability Management really allowed him a new view on how food is experienced and accessed outside of traditional food services.”

Kopp’s education at Falk and his internship with Sustainability Management has given him options as his looks forward to his life and career after graduation.

“I want to do something with horses,” Kopp says. “But if that doesn’t work out, I want to do something culinary-related!”

Caroline King: Quality Healthcare for All

King grew up in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, where hiking and backpacking trips became her favorite hobby (she and her father still go on multiple backpacking trips every year). She entered Syracuse as a nutrition student but switched to a dual major in public health at Falk and policy studies at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

“As I aged, I began learning more about health disparities and the adversities faced in the healthcare system by minority communities,” King says. “I quickly developed a passion to be a part of the shift to providing equitable, affordable access to quality healthcare for all.

“Additionally, public health includes the health of the environment, which was an added attraction as my connection to the earth is strong,” King says.

For her internship, King researched renewable energy (RE) from a public health perspective. She looked at the sustainability of RE throughout its entire life cycle, from sourcing precious metals to the disposing of end-of-life RE systems.

With the information she gathered, King drafted a policy to propose to the University to use more RE on campus.

“I wish people would take the time to think about their energy consumption, where it’s coming from, and how big of an impact it’s causing on the planet,” King says. “It’s easy to put your consumption out of mind when the effects are out of sight, however, we need to be conscious of the impact that the things we do and purchase have on other people and the environment.”

King is a Renée Crown Honors Program student and member of the Phi Sigma Pi Gender-Inclusive National Honors Fraternity, where she has met students with various majors who share her vision of being part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of others.

“I wish people would understand the privilege they have to live the life they do so that they are able to empathize with people of all types around them,” King says. “As I move through jobs, careers and life, I hope to be in a position where I can be a part of a team that makes a large impact on a community, population or the environment.”

As the omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to spread quickly across New York State and the U.S., Syracuse University and the New York State Department of Health are partnering on a statewide wastewater surveillance network that will provide three to five days early warning that COVID-19 cases are increasing or decreasing in a community.

To learn more the public health benefits of the network, you are invited to join a free webinar called “Introduction to the New York State Wastewater Surveillance Network” from 10 to 11 a.m. Jan. 19. Registration is required to attend.

The webinar is organized by the Syracuse University Falk College Department of Public Health and the University’s Environmental Finance Center, and co-sponsored by the New York Water Environment Association and New York State Water Resources Institute.

In mid-December, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ’80 announced that the Department of Health and the Syracuse University public health team led by epidemiologist David Larsen, an associate professor of public health at Falk College, will expand the University’s groundbreaking method to analyze wastewater for COVID-19 to include at least one wastewater treatment plant in each of the state’s 62 counties.

In the last year, 20 counties have participated in wastewater surveillance with test results providing evidence of COVID-19 in communities that are home to more than 2 million New York residents. New York City has also conducted wastewater surveillance in its five boroughs, and the expansion of the statewide network will improve coordination and provide an opportunity for participation from many more municipalities.

Studies have shown that wastewater surveillance detects variants of the virus such as omicron. New York State reported 22,478 new COVID cases on Dec. 19 and 60,000 from Dec. 17-19, each a record for the state.

“We’re learning new things about the COVID-19 virus every day, and in order to stay ahead of it, we’ve had to adopt new and innovate strategies for prevention and detection, particularly when it comes to variants,” Hochul says on the official New York State website. “I thank our nation-leading scientists and researchers at the Department of Health, and our academic partners at Syracuse University and SUNY Buffalo, SUNY ESF and SUNY Stony Brook for their efforts to track the virus through the cutting-edge wastewater surveillance program that will undoubtedly be used to inform public health issues well into the future.”

The Jan. 19 webinar will feature Larsen; Mary B. Collins, associate professor of environmental studies at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF); and other experts who will discuss details of the network and answer questions about the real-time monitoring of wastewater for coronavirus RNA. Larsen’s team and the Department of Health are working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to develop the network throughout the state.

“Establishing wastewater surveillance in every county throughout the state will give us better understanding of COVID-19 transmission,” Larsen says. “This system will help the public and policymakers better respond to the pandemic.”

The webinar is designed to inform wastewater treatment plant operators, county and municipal government officials, elected officials and staff, and public health officials, but will be structured in a way that any New York State resident can learn how the network will work and the health benefits derived from it.

Testing wastewater for the virus that causes COVID-19 doesn’t depend on testing individuals. The statewide network will help participating municipalities establish the baseline level of virus and identify which communities experience an increase. This information will complement other state testing and surveillance efforts to better understand the risk of COVID-19 transmission throughout the state and allocate public health resources.

While the wastewater surveillance network will initially focus on COVID-19, it will remain a vital public health resource as it will be able to detect other infectious diseases and provide estimates of opioid use.

For more information, visit the New York State Wastewater Surveillance Network website. Visit the registration page to attend the free Jan. 19 webinar “Introduction to the New York State Wastewater Surveillance Network.”