By Anne Riker Garlington
Atia Khan and Devin Valdes, University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions Master of Public Health students, have been selected as This is Public Health student ambassadors for 2023-2024 by the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health.
Khan and Valdes are among 82 students from 47 ASPPH member schools and programs who are charged with raising awareness about public health through activities such as This is Public Health social media takeovers, virtual fairs with prospective public health students, book clubs, public health presentations, panel discussions and more.
In their ambassador roles, Khan and Valdes will lead a weeklong social media takeover of the This is Public Health platforms during the week of January 8, 2024.
Khan, from Boynton Beach, Florida, is a second-year student in the MPH program with a concentration in biostatistics. During the social media takeover, they plan to focus on occupational health in the manufacturing section of the fast fashion industry.
Valdes, from Treasure Island, Florida, is a second-year student in the MPH program with a concentration in epidemiology. For his social media takeover, he plans to focus on sexual health information and stigma, specifically for minority populations.
At ASPPH Graduate School Virtual Fairs, Khan and Valdes, along with the other ambassadors, will answer questions from prospective students and discuss their own experiences in finding a program that fits them best.
After graduation, Khan’s long-term goal is to work with an organization at the national level, such as the U.S. Census Bureau. They want to combine their knowledge of public health with demographic data collection.
Following graduation, Valdes plans to pursue epidemiology research as a M.D. or Ph.D. He wants to serve as an advocate for health and create sustainable programs for outbreaks and literacy.
To keep up with this year’s This is Public Health student ambassadors, follow the This is Public Health accounts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.