By Erin Jester
A University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions doctoral student took home a top award and faculty, students and alumna presented at the Florida Public Health Association 2025 Annual Educational Conference in July.
The event, held July 29 – 31 in Kissimmee, Florida, featured a poster contest, oral presentations and panels under the theme “Rebuilding & Reshaping Innovation in Florida Public Health.”
Acquel Allen-Mitchell, M.P.H., M.B.A., took home the Best All-Around Poster award. She presented the first study from her dissertation, “Studentification and Social Determinants of Health in East Gainesville: An Exploratory Study,” which investigated the health impacts of studentification — a specific form of gentrification — on the local community.
Allen-Mitchell, a doctoral candidate in Public Health with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences, successfully defended her dissertation and will soon begin a postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“The changes linked to studentification may affect both student and non-student residents’ physical and mental health,” Allen-Mitchell said. “Understanding the impact of studentification on health is essential for developing policies and programs that promote healthier and sustainable communities for all residents.”
Master of Public Health students Tony El-Rady, Katherine Grissett, Melissa Lewis, Jesse Meyer, Santiago Ojeda Sainz, Nicolas Rosado and James VanSickle presented a poster about the Public Health Student Association, titled “PHSA Guiding Future Directions: Public Health Mentorship Program.”
PHHP Dean Beth Virnig, Ph.D., M.P.H., discussed “The Future of Public Health Training in Florida” with a panel of Florida public health deans and program leaders.
Valentina Gomez, a recent M.P.H. alumna, also gave a presentation, titled “Community-Centered Opioid Education and Naloxone Distribution in Gainesville, Florida.”