Elizabethtown College Public Health students Samhar Almomani ’24 and Alex Waskiewicz ’24 delivered presentations at the annual American Public Health Association (APHA) meeting that took place in Boston, Mass. from Nov. 6-9. Both students were accepted to present at the highly selective conference and conducted research focused on the relationship between policymakers, public health decisions, and amplifying the voices of small communities.
“It was an honor to be selected to present at APHA, as it is the nation’s biggest public health conference,” Almomani said. “It gave me a lot of valuable experience and helped me build connections with graduate school advisors who I plan on connecting with for the next step in my career.”
Waskiewicz presented his research, “Religion or not: the causes of vaccine hesitancy in the central Pennsylvanian Amish population,” which explored the Lancaster Amish community and the relationship to vaccinations, with the hope of bringing attention to the preventive health programs for rural anabaptist groups.
“The close relationships I built with my political science and public health advisors allowed me to complete this research,” Waskiewicz said. “Many of my classes at Etown specifically focus on career development opportunities such as job fairs and practice interviews which have built my confidence.”
Almomani’s research, “Engaging African American male youth in assessing factors affecting their own health and wellbeing: a photovoice and community engagement approach,” offered insight into the health needs of Allison Hill, a Harrisburg, Pa. neighborhood and community underserved by policymakers.
Both of the students’ research supports positive conversations surrounding policies and public health and allowed the pair of Blue Jays to gain invaluable experience in the field.
About APHA
The American Public Health Association supports health and wellness for all communities and people. APHA focuses on having a positive impact on policy to advance the public’s health, through their membership-based community and collective mission.
