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OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Welcomes Incoming and Returning Students

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Students Attending the Fall Welcome. Graduate and Undergraduate Students Sitting at Tables discussing public health topics and lived experiences together
15
Oct
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A New Chapter Begins: SPH Welcomes Incoming and Returning Students

Nearly 170 new and returning undergraduate and graduate scholars gather at the Native American Student & Community Center to build connections, explore career pathways, and kick off the 2026–2027 academic year.

On September 16, 2026, close to 170 incoming and current undergraduate and graduate students gathered at Portland State University’s Native American Student & Community Center (NASCC) to mark the start of the new academic year at the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health (SPH). The interactive, day-long orientation event brought together scholars across disciplines to build community, engage with essential campus resources, and prepare for the transformative academic year ahead.

“Our goal is to foster a deeply connected, collaborative public health community from day one—preparing our students not only for academic excellence, but for meaningful public health leadership and community impact.” — Emily Morris Kemmerer, Assistant Dean of Student & Alumni Affairs

Framing the Year: Community Roots & Strategic Growth

The opening remarks led by SPH leadership set an inspiring tone for the day, offering key institutional updates on the Vanport Classroom Expansion project, the expanding Academic Health Department, and critical Academic Operations Team (AOT) resources accessible to students via Canvas and the Student Support Center (SSC). Highlighting the school’s commitment to shared identity and student engagement, leadership introduced the SPH Interactive Tree Project.

Throughout the day, students designed individual paper leaves reflecting their personal journeys and aspirations, bringing them to the SSC to contribute to a collective, vibrant art installation displayed on campus. The morning session wrapped up with an energizing community-building workshop facilitated by Carlos Quatala, IGNITE Coordinator and Noni Villalobos, Milestone Coordinator of SSC.

Academic Pathways & Small-Group Connections

By mid-morning, the students transitioned to targeted breakout sessions in the Broadway Building and NASCC, tailored specifically to undergraduate and graduate cohorts

  • Community Building: Student peer leaders facilitated small-group discussion circles at the NASCC, featuring icebreakers, structured Q&A, and direct mentorship focused on connection and student support.
  • Practical Placements: Director of Applied Learning, Jamie Jones, presented a dedicated session on PHE 404 placements, guiding undergraduate students through required field experiences and community partnership opportunities.
  • Graduate Academic & Career Blocks: Graduate students selected from concurrent technical workshops covering SPH 101 & Collaborative Groupwork (led by Emily Morris Kemmerer, Assistant Dean of Student and Alumni Affairs and Becky Jungbauer, Director of Public Health Practice), Career Pathways (led by Seth Igarta from Career OHSU), Applied Practice Experience (APEx) Requirements (led by Jamie Jones), and vital Financial Aid Updates (presented by Elijah Herr from OHSU Financial Aid Office).

Lunch Break & Resource Fair

Midday brought students back to the NASCC for a catered lunch and an active Campus Resource Fair. Dean Paul Halverson stopped during the lunch hour to share an inspiring message welcoming students to the new academic year and highlighting the vital role their passion and leadership will play in driving public health leadership and impact across our communities. Incoming graduate students stopped by for professional headshots, while new students secured their PSU ID badges, connected with student support representatives, and placed their finished leaves onto the SPH Community Tree display.

Looking Ahead: Program Breakouts & Public Health Practice

In the afternoon, graduate cohorts assembled in the Vanport Building for program-specific breakout sessions. Public Health Practice (PHP) students joined both in person and via a dedicated WebEx hybrid link, ensuring full accessibility for remote and on-campus learners. Discussions focused on key curriculum updates and strategic planning for the Applied Practice Experience (APEx), emphasizing that MPH candidates should begin outreach two terms prior to enrollment.

With orientation concluded, the OHSU-PSU SPH community enters the academic year united, empowered, and ready to advance health equity across Oregon and beyond.

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