LHU students put advocacy skills to use on Capitol Hill
Health Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C.
April 23, 2012
A group of Lock Haven University undergraduate health science students with a concentration in community health attended the 15th annual Health Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., March 3 -5, 2012. They were joined by more than 200 other health education professionals and students from across the United States. The purpose of the summit, sponsored by 11 national health education organizations, was to engage health professionals in advocacy efforts on the national, state and local levels.
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A group of Lock Haven University undergraduate health science students with a concentration in community health attended the 15th annual Health Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., March 3 -5, 2012. They were joined by more than 200 other health education professionals and students from across the United States. The purpose of the summit, sponsored by 11 national health education organizations, was to engage health professionals in advocacy efforts on the national, state and local levels. In attendance from LHU were Mary Czartoryjski, Anne DeHart, Mariah Easton, Humma Hussain, Emily Miller, Connor Rittwage, and Patrice Spencer. The students were accompanied on their Hill visits by health science faculty members Dr. Kathleen Allison and Dr. Rick Schulze. During the summit, the students participated in sessions designed to increase advocacy skills. The culminating experience included meeting with legislators and their staff members on current health legislation. The students met with legislative staff members from the offices of Senator Bob Casey, Representative Glenn Thompson, and Representative Jim Gerlach. The students spoke with the office representatives about the Affordable Care Act, Community Transformation Grants, the Prevention and Public Health Fund, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant. Participation was transformative for the students. One student said, “Even though an individual may come from a small town, he still holds a large voice.” Another said, “Attending the summit has really improved my awareness and health advocacy skills as well as sparked a sincere interest in health policy.” Lock Haven University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 405,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania. |
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