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Greetings!
Commencement is an exciting time not only for our students and their families, but also our faculty and staff who have watched the transformation of our students over four years. Last Friday, DGHI celebrated the achievements of 65 undergraduate and graduate students who are leaving Duke with an expanded view of the world and the knowledge to improve the health of its people.
I encourage all of you to take five minutes to watch the memorable and heartfelt commencement speech by certificate graduate Lisa Deng. You'll be inspired and glad you did!
To our new graduates: Get connected with more than 100 global health alums on Facebook and LinkedIn. Also, if you haven't already do so, update your email address in our listserv to a permanent email address. Simply type in your current address here and instructions will be emailed to you on how to update your profile in our system.
We are moving to our bi-weekly schedule for the summer, so look for the next issue on Tuesday, May 29.
Until next time,
Geelea Seaford and Everyone at DGHI
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Sixty-five Students Graduate with Global Health Degree, Certificate
A record number of Duke students graduated with a degree or certificate in global health on Friday at one of two DGHI  Commencement ceremonies. Among the class of 2012 are 22 Master of Science in Global Health (MSc-GH) graduates, six Program II graduates in Global Health and 37 Global Health Certificate graduates - 15 of whom graduated with distinction. Representing 18 different majors across campus, with others who created a major in global health, the undergraduates celebrated their global health achievements. While the certificate requires students to complete six global health courses and a fieldwork project, many students engaged in multiple field research experiences, participated in the DGHI Student Council and led a wide range of student global health events on campus. Some of these students received awards and global health fellowships which they will  pursue this year. Others are heading off to pursue careers in medicine, law, business and international development, among others. "Our global health students are not just diverse; they are the best of the best, accomplished and talented in so many ways," said DGHI founding director Michael Merson, who gave welcoming remarks during the undergraduate ceremony. "We could not be more proud to be associated with such a special group of young people." Earlier in the day, DGHI held a luncheon ceremony for 22 graduates of the MSc-GH program - the largest graduating class yet. The rigorous master's program has equipped them with the knowledge and research skills to become leaders in global health, with a deep understanding that science is key for improving health disparities. Promising careers lie ahead for these individuals - who will be working in research, program evaluation, law and consulting. Others will be going on to pursue further graduate work in medicine, biomedical engineering and epidemiology. With great pride, Merson told graduates at both ceremonies that he looks forward to working with them in the future, not as students, but as colleagues, in the quest to improve the health of people around the world.  |
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NEW VIDEO: Graduate Lisa Deng Delivers Inspiring Speech
Global Health Certificate graduate Lisa Deng delivered an inspiring speech at Commencement in which she reminded her peers to remember the global health experiences and relationships that shaped their education and challenged them to use that experience to dedicate their lives to reducing health disparities. Watch her short speech below. Also, watch all or a portion of the video from the undergraduate or MSc-GH commencement ceremonies.  | | Global Health Certificate Commencement (#3 - Student Speech) |
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Student Awards
Global health certificate graduates Katherine Budolfson, Daniella Choi, Maab Ibrahim, Sonya Kothadia and Katya Papatla won the DGHI award for the Best Capstone Research Project for their work on sex trafficking in North Carolina, and they provided a framework for better data collection.
Master of Science in Global Health Graduate Sarah Lombardo has received the MSc-GH Outstanding Student Award, which reflects academic achievement, contribution to the global health community at Duke and an outstanding thesis. In addition to her thesis on textile worker health, she worked with DGHI faculty on environmental health research in India and led social media efforts for the 2011 Duke Winter Forum on pandemics.
Global Health Certificate graduate Braveen Ragunanthan has earned the Terry Sanford Leadership Award for his service, ambition, activism and leadership to energize the student body on important policy and global health issues.
Faculty Awards
Nathan Thielman, 2012 Outstanding Mentoring Award
Thielman, associate professor of medicine and global health, was nominated for the award by three different individuals, and he has served as a thesis committee member or chair for several graduates of the Master of Science in Global Health program. Mentoring requires countless hours, patience, and a compassion for and understanding of our students and their challenges, not to mention content expertise - and Thielman has remained committed to helping our students succeed.
Catherine Admay, 2012 Outstanding Teaching Award
A visiting professor of public policy and affiliate of the Duke Global Health Institute, Admay was overwhelmingly nominated by students for making a lasting impression on their education in global health. Her students refer to her as superwoman, a great teacher but an even greater person, creative, passionate, encouraging, the quintessential example of a professor who sees student learning and intellectual development as going hand-in-hand. They say she empowers students to effect change and equips them to do so. Her students call this "The Admay Effect."
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Sikkema Delivers Commencement Speech at Alma Mater
DGHI faculty member Kathleen Sikkema was commencement speaker at her alma mater on Saturday - Central College in Pella, Iowa, where she also received an honorary degree.
Sikkema told graduating seniors to take advantage of the opportunities provided by Central College and to seek a rewarding career path. She added, "Trust yourself in the choices you make-what is possible may not yet be clear."
Sikkema is professor of psychology and neuroscience, global health and psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke. She is also director of the clinical psychology doctoral program and the social and behavioral science core in the Center for AIDS Research.
In the college's announcement, Central College president Mark Putnam said Sikkema has been influential on a global level, is a shining example of service and dedication, and is powerful in showing students career pathways and opportunities.
As an expert in HIV prevention and mental health, Sikkema's research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health for 20 years. Her research focuses on developing and evaluating community approaches to help those with HIV disease cope with bereavement and traumatic stress and to reduce HIV risk and gender inequalities. She also participates in research capacity building efforts in Tanzania and has conducted research in South Africa for more than 10 years.
Sikkema earned her Ph.D.in clinical psychology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She was then appointed to the faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin and subsequently Yale University School of Medicine. Sikkema has 150 publications in peer-reviewed journals such as American Journal of Public Health, Health Psychology, AIDS and AIDS and Behavior.
At Central, Sikkema was a psychology major and math minor. She was also an Upward Bound tutor counselor. Sikkema credits Central with boosting her confidence and helping her develop her career goals. Her brother Randy Sikkema is a 1982 graduate who lives in Pella, and her mother Susan Sikkema works at Central in campus security.
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Global Health Master's Degree Approved for DKU Campus in China
Last weekend, the Duke University Board of Trustees approved a new Master of Science in Global Health (MSc-GH) program to be offered at Duke Kunshan University (DKU) in Kunshan, China. The program will be led by the Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI), which has offered the MSc-GH degree in Durham for three years.
The program is expected to enroll students from China and throughout Asia, and to attract researchers, policymakers, physicians and others planning to pursue doctoral studies in a global health-related discipline. The China-based program will have the same course work and field requirements as its counterpart in Durham.
Last Thursday, Duke's Academic Council voted 52-7 to endorse the new master's program for DKU. "DGHI has strong collaborations with some of the leading universities in China and we currently offer a two-week global health diploma program at Peking University each summer," said Michael Merson, DGHI's founding director. "DKU offers an ideal setting to strengthen and build upon these education and research collaborations." The Master of Science in Global Health is the second degree program that the trustees have approved for DKU; in December 2011 the board approved a Master of Management Studies degree offered by the Fuqua School of Business. DGHI also will offer undergraduate courses in global health at DKU and establish a global health research center. |
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