The UTEP Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program received a $70,000.00 DNA/RNA Extractor from GYN PATH Services, Inc. DNA extraction is an important molecular biology procedure in which DNA is purified from any type of cell for the purpose of genetic analysis. Using a pure sample of DNA, you can test a newborn for a genetic disease, analyze forensic evidence, identify infectious diseases or study genes involved in cancer. The acquisition of the DNA extractor is an important tool for training CLS students in Molecular Diagnostics and brings the CLS program one step closer to the approval of a master's degree in Molecular Pathology.

National Nutrition Month is a nutrition and information campaign created each year in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses on creating awareness on the importance of developing sound eating habits, through balanced meals, and promoting daily physical activity; this year's theme, "Bite into Healthy Lifestyle," directly advocates for these messages. Students from the departments of Health Promotion, Kinesiology and Psychology whom are enrolled in "Community Nutrition" with instructor, Ms. Aida Leticia Moreno-Brown, MS, RD, prepared a poster exhibition in celebration of National Nutrition Month on March 24th at the College of Health Sciences and School of Nursing lobby area. More than 35 students presented their posters on a variety of topics, including: childhood obesity, nutrition among college students, food insecurity-issues/answers, and school nutrition, among many others topics. The exhibition was well attended, and students had the opportunity to explain their topics and its implications in community nutrition.

The College of Health Sciences Community Academic Partnership for Health Sciences Research (CAPHSR) core team for Sexual Violence Program Evaluation (Thenral Mangadu, Assistant Professor, Public Health Sciences and Stephanie Karr, Executive Director, Center Against Family Violence) made two presentations at the Future Without Violence- National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence on March 19-21 in Washington DC. They presented on their community academic partnership model for health sciences research as a promising practice and, the findings from their University Research Institute funded evaluation research of the CAFGV's sexual assault support groups program. The conference addresses domestic and sexual violence as a public health disparity which can lead to adverse lifelong and intergenerational health and social welfare consequences.

With the support of the Department of Public Health Sciences and the mentorship of Dr. Oralia Loza, Masters in Public Health (MPH) candidate, Carlos R. Alvarez and Certificate Program student David Peralta-Torres, presented at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center held its 4th annual Cultural Competence Conference on Friday, March 27, 2015. Their poster was entitled "Instrument Development To Assess Attitudes and Behaviors Towards the LGBT Community among Healthcare and Social Services Providers in El Paso, TX" This project aims to address stigma and discrimination the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community faces when seeking services in the region. The goal is to identify LGBT service providers in and make their contact information available to agencies with LGBT clients who may have other needs. Their presentation was featured on the El Paso Department of Public Health Weekly Brief.

On Friday March 27, 2015 the Student Association of Social Work (SASW) volunteered and raise donations for the residents to the Opportunity Center for the Homeless. The Opportunity Center is a shelter located at 1208 Myrtle Avenue. . The center consists of two emergency shelters and eight additional facilities founded by Ray and Lilly Tullius over twenty three years ago. The Opportunity Center provides a multitude of health and human services for the homeless. The social services department provides medical, mental health, substance abuse, assessment and case management, veteran services, free meals, housing services, and education services.

Eight SASW members (Erica Balderrama, Brittany Benavides, Bianca Castrejon, Robert J. Fernandez, Erica Leffler, Betty Joe Pritchett, Amanda Vasquez, and Steven Yeh) fed over a 150 men and women at the shelter.  In addition, the SASW organization donated over twenty pairs of shoes to the residents, and is currently holding a toiletries drive for the individuals who are in dire need. Last year the SASW donated care kits to the Opportunity Center and to the homeless population in downtown El Paso. The care kits consisted of hygienics, socks, sweaters, gloves, blankets, and a sack lunch.

In the past 12 months the SASW organization led several event likes shoe drives for the youth, feeding low-income families on thanksgivings, back to school drives for low-income youth, basketball tournament for adolescents, and hygienic drives for low-income youth. Great work, SASW! 

Left to Right: Betty Jo Pritchett, Bianca Castrejon, Robert J. Fernandez Amanda Vasquez, Erica Leffler, Erica Balderrama, and Steven Yeh

UTEP graduating senior Sandra A. Salinas received the Women of Mines Award on April 25th during the Student Leadership Awards Banquet. Sandra has a 3.87 GPA and will be attending Graduate School next fall. In addition, Sandra received an Honorable Mention from the National Science Foundation Graduate research Fellowship Program. The designation is considered a significant national academic achievement.

Dr Celia Pechak from the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program was invited to Springfield College in Massachusetts to present the Greene Lecture on April 9, 2015. Each year the Springfield College Physical Therapy Faculty invites a scholar to present to the college community and local clinicians. Dr Pechak was asked to discuss the burning questions that drive her global health research and community engagement activities. The Greene Lecture and its related events are intended to inspire students, and contribute to faculty development and the department's growth. In addition to presenting the lecture, Dr Pechak met with student groups, and informally consulted with faculty inside and outside of the Physical Therapy Department.

The Research Program on Migration and Health (PiMSA for its Spanish acronym: Programa de Investigación en Migracion y Salud) was started by the Health Initiative of the Americas in partnership with the University of California and key institutions in Mexico. The first request for proposals (RFP) came out in 2003, and in 2006 the executive committee extended the RFP to additional U.S. academic institutions. PiMSA is unique in that it not only focuses on migration and health, but requires bi-national (US and Mexico) collaboration from qualified institutions, which includes UTEP.

Dr. Jennifer Sánchez (UTEP) in collaboration with Dr. Beatriz Araceli Diaz Torres (Universidad Autonoma de Cd. Juárez) were awarded $35,000 by PiMSA to investigate "Stress Coping, Health Behaviors, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Mexican Migrant Women." The study will examine Mexican Migrant Women's self-reported efforts to manage stress and how cultural and contextual factors interact to affect their coping styles and health self-management. The study will be conducted both in El Paso (US) and Cd. Juárez (Mexico).

Dr. Barbara Schoen participated as a member of a panel discussion as part of an event celebrating International Women's Day. Maria Perez, LMSW, Support Services Coordinator at the VOLAR Center for Independent Living organized this year's event; a month long Festival of Films that focused on four separate stories of women with disabilities. Each film was followed by a panel discussion of women who aligned with those populations represented in the film. Schoen, explains, "This annual event is an excellent opportunity to bring women and their supporters together to highlight important issues facing women while celebrating their achievements." Schoen adds that, "the film illustrated many important topics and reinforced that "Hollywood" still needs to improve their understanding of disability to improve the realism of navigating life with a disability.

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies. The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Each year thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Graduating CLS Senior Roxanna Valdez has been helping Henry Bernal from The Health Professions Academy at Socorro High School prepare for the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competition. Henry Bernal has been a student of The Health Professions Academy at Socorro High for three years and he placed at The State Competition in Dallas, Texas. HOSA is a national student organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education (HSE) Division of ACTE. HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. Each year UTEP CLS Students and faculty help with area HOSA high school students prepare for their state competitions. Best wishes to Henry and great work Roxanna!

Candyce S. Berger, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Social Work at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rio Grande Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Each year, the chapter selects one person for the award, which celebrates the best social work values and accomplishments demonstrated in a social worker's lifetime. Berger received the honor during the NASW Rio Grande Brach Awards Banquet held at the El Paso Club on April 10, 2015. Also recognized at the event were Congressman Beto O'Rourke, as Public Citizen of the Year, Kathy Revtyak, as Social Worker of the Year, Sara Polk as Outstanding MSW Student, and Kristie Apodaca as Outstanding BSW Student. Congratulations to all awardees!

Forty-three promotoras(es) de salud, or community health workers, graduated from the Community Health Workers Training Program at The University of Texas at El Paso College of Health Sciences on Friday, April 24. The 180-hour training program prepares women and men to become state-certified community health workers who will conduct outreach, education and service learning activities in underserved communities. The training was led by Familias Triunfadoras, a community-based organization with a mission to empower women in colonias and underserved communities. The Department of Social Work collaborates with Familias Triunfadoras and assists with training the graduates in the areas of intimate partner violence, sexual, reproductive health and health disparities. Before they can be certified by the State of Texas as community health workers, students must complete 1,000 hours of volunteer community service. President Diana Natalicio, Letty Paez, Associate Dean of Community Affairs and Maria Covernali, Director of Familias Triunfadoras presented the graduates with a certificate of completion. This is the third cohort of graduates that have been hosted  by the College of Health Sciences Department of Social Work, graduating more than 125 promotores in total, all of them state certified. For more information on when the next cohort will start the training please contact Eva M. Moya, PhD, LMSW assistant professor of Department of Social Work or Maria Covernali, Executive Director of Familias Triunfadoras.