The Colorado School of Public Health values practice-based learning in myriad capacities throughout the graduate experience and beyond. A recent example of this, was on World Peace Day when Juliana Velez, Advocacy and Projects Associate at WEDO (Women’s Environment & Development Organization), presented at CSU on “Women’s Rights, Climate Change & Sustainable Development: What does Justice Have to do with it?”.  WEDO is a global women’s advocacy organization, and strives to promote and protect human rights, gender equality, and the integrity of the environment. This event was available to students campus-wide, and two ColoradoSPH at CSU students, Emily Lindly and Katie Key, were able to attend a small-group lunch session with Juliana in addition to the presentation.  “Juliana gave advice about how to get where you want to go and how to discuss your passions with people who may not understand the complex and intersectional work of public health. I left the lecture feeling confident that I could make my dreams and career aspirations a reality”, said Katie, a first year MPH student in the Public Health Nutrition concentration.

After the presentation, Emily, a second year MPH student in the Global Health & Health Disparities concentration, was inspired to apply for a WEDO fellowship following graduation. She said this of her experience: “I’d have to say my favorite part about this speaker event was learning Juliana was a CSU alum. It makes someone that is doing such large scale things, more relatable. It is inspiring that someone that went to the same school as you has become an empowered and important voice on the international stage, making the idea of working with distant bodies for change seem slightly more achievable.  As students I think we ruminate a lot on post-graduation plans — having an opportunity to hear the path that someone we admire has taken, is inspiring.”

Both campus-wide events, as well as opportunities specifically for ColoradoSPH students, are continuously available across the CSU campus.  Information on public health-related events on the CSU campus or opportunities pertaining to ColoradoSPH at CSU students, can be found through the events page on the ColoradoSPH at CSU website.