SPH, UIC, National Involvement Opportunities

The UIC School of Public Health provides all students with the opportunity to get involved with a number of student organizations focused on different aspects of public health. You can find all student organizations affiliated with SPH here, and the ones MPH students more frequently join are listed below.

Global Health Student Interest Group

The Global Health Student Interest Group (GHSIG) is dedicated to learning, educating, and promoting awareness about global health affairs. GHSIG is composed of students from all divisions within UIC-SPH and welcomes and encourages dialogue with students, faculty, and staff across the campus. Membership is open to all students with an interest in global health. For more information, email uicghsig@gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/GHSIGUIC/.

Public Health Student Association

The Public Health Student Association (PHSA) is a student led organization and student governing body at the UIC-SPH. PHSA’s roles are to act as a liaison between students and faculty, promote career development through networking events, promote student involvement in the school community, and represent the needs of students of the School of Public Health. All enrolled students of UIC-SPH are automatically members of PHSA. Students are encouraged to volunteer and participate in all events.

Minority Student for Advancement of Public Health

Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health (MSAPH) is a student organization within UIC-SPH. The purpose of MSAPH is to strengthen the underrepresented student graduate experience by providing opportunities to build supportive networks and social bonding within the UIC-SPH community. MSAPH builds these networks through its meetings, events, and activities that focus on academic support, professional growth, peer networking, and community service.

Radical Public Health

Radical Public Health (RPH) is an association of students, alumni, faculty, and staff who seek to address the systemic, underlying causes of public health challenges and to consider more radical solutions. RPH hosts group discussions, guest lectures, film screenings, teach-ins, and panel discussions on relevant issues. Membership is open to all students at the UI-SPH and other UIC students, alumni, faculty, and staff, including undergraduates. Membership is also open to like-minded individuals in other schools, organizations, and groups.

MPH Mates

Community Health Sciences coordinates the MPH Mates Program during the academic year. MPH Mates connects new CHS MPH students with a social network of peers, to help students feel valued, supported, and included in the division. Participating new CHS students are paired with a student in CHS that is further along in their MPH, in order to support and guide them through their transition into graduate school in an informal way. Students are asked to complete an interest form over the summer if they plan to participate in MPH Mates the following academic year.

UIC offers over 400 student organization involvement opportunities through the UIC Center for Student Involvement. There are organizations based on identity, students’ program/major, hobbies and interests, and more. Information about organizations and ways to get involved can be found after you log into your UIC account: http://connect.uic.edu/.

UIC has a large number of active fraternity and sorority chapters and councils. More information about fraternity and sorority life can be found here: https://fsl.uic.edu/.

Campus Recreation at UIC hosts a Sports Club Program, which provides in-depth opportunities to play certain sports competitively or to learn new sports. There are over 20 student-led sports clubs that range from instructional to recreational to competitive. More information on how to join an existing club or start a new one can be found here: https://recreation.uic.edu/programs/sport-clubs/.

The UIC Student Leadership and Civic Engagement office provides students with workshops, programs, and opportunities focused on leadership development, service and volunteering, and civic engagement and democratic involvement. More information can be found here: https://slce.uic.edu/.

MCH-National Network

The MCH National Network (MCH-NN) is a network of MCH students and early professionals ready to share information, opportunities, and actions, initiated by and for students and alums of MCH Centers of Excellence and Catalyst Programs- and beyond. The MCH-NN hosts a variety of events with topics including networking, advocacy lectures, and negotiation. Students can participate in these events as well as apply to the MCH-NN Leadership Board to get more involved.

Traveling to MCH Meetings

MCH and MCHEPI students have the opportunity to apply for funding support to attend MCH-focused conferences or events. At the start of every semester, the Assistant Director of the CoE-MCH will send out the one-page form for students to have as a reference. Students will be also able to request this form as well if they cannot find the original email. Students should be prepared to include anticipated costs for which they would like to request support. Typically, the CoE-MCH may only cover partial or full support for one of the following conference costs: registration fee, flight, or lodging. Preference will be given to PhD students and MPH students presenting at the conference. See below for some of the many MCH conference opportunities that are regularly available throughout the year.

Additionally, the CoE-MCH is only one office you should look to for support to fund your conference attendance. Other organizations and departments that have supported MCH students are the Dean’s Office, Office of Student Affairs, Public Health Student Association, the Office of Research, and more.

CityMatCH

CityMatCH is a national membership organization of city and county health departments’ maternal and child health (MCH) programs and leaders representing urban communities in the United States. CityMatCH’s mission is to strengthen public health leaders and organizations to promote equity and improve the health of urban women, families, and communities. CityMatCH also hosts an annual conference in September. Every other year, the CityMatCH conference has a Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology focus.

AMCHP

The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP)’s mission is to advance the health of women, children, youth, families, and communities by strengthening governmental public health and deepening community partnerships through a health equity lens. Since 1950, AMCHP has served as a national resource, partner, and advocate for state public health leaders and others working to improve maternal and child health public health systems. AMCHP hosts an annual conference attended by state and other MCH leaders and community and family partners, typically in the Spring.

APHA

The American Public Health Association (APHA) is the largest US public health professional organization serving thousands of diverse public health professionals. APHA publishes the American Journal of Public Health and The Nation’s Health newspaper. APHA leads public awareness campaigns such as National Public Health Week. At their Annual Meeting and Expo, thousands of people share the latest public health research and practice updates. Generally, the Annual Meeting and Expo occurs every October or November.