TWU
Home > Marketing
& Communication > News
Releases
TWU
student receives scholarship to attend national health advocacy
summit
4/03/08
DENTON —Texas
Woman’s University student Cynthia Johnson of Lewisville
was one of only two graduate students in the nation to receive
the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) 2008 Health
Education Student Support Award. This $500 scholarship enabled
Ms. Johnson to attend the 2008 Health Advocacy Summit held
March 15-17 in Washington, D.C.
“Receiving
this award has been the highlight of my educational experience
at TWU,” said Ms. Johnson, a health studies graduate
student. “Attending this conference gave me valuable
insight on federal appropriation bills that currently affect
the health education field, particularly pertaining to minority
and underserved populations’ health disparities.”
As a scholarship
recipient, Ms. Johnson also will write a 1,000-word article
for SOPHE’s newsletter detailing her experience at the
conference.
“In writing
the article, I hope to reach out to other students and convey
the importance of health advocacy,” Ms. Johnson said.
“We must remember that we, as health educators, have
a responsibility to those who do not have the tools or power
to speak up for themselves.”
SOPHE is an independent,
international professional association made up of a diverse
membership of health education professionals and students.
With its primary focus on public health education, the society
promotes healthy behaviors, healthy community and healthy
environments through its membership, its network of local
chapters and its numerous partnerships with other organizations.
For more information, visit www.sophe.org.
“The SOPHE
scholarship selection committee indicated that they were extremely
impressed with Cynthia’s active role in community organization
and her passion for health advocacy,” said Dr. Jody
Oomen-Early, TWU assistant professor of health studies. “Whether
she is organizing community needs assessments to improve health
conditions in low-income neighborhoods or giving a presentation
on an empowerment program for adolescent females to the Dallas
City Council, Cynthia is an advocate for change. She is an
example to her peers and to her instructors.”
The 2008 Health
Education Advocacy Summit, sponsored by the Coalition of National
Health Education Organizations, consisted of advocacy training,
seminars on issue-specific legislative priorities and congressional
visits with legislators and key staff on public health issues.
For more information, visit www.healtheducationadvocate.org.
###
Media Contact:
Amanda Simpson
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: asimpson1@twu.edu |
