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Project Name: Public Health Scholarship Program (T52)
Applicant Title: Azusa Pacific University
Abstract Text: The Azusa Pacific University (APU), School of Nursing, Masters of Public Health Program (MPH) is submitting an application for support from the Public Health Scholarship Program. The program is applying for a total of $1,497,590 for the three-year project period (September 30, 2022 through September, 29 2025). Azusa Pacific University (APU) seeks to strengthen a diverse and skilled public health workforce by expanding its graduate public health education (MPH) and by incentivizing students to pursue careers in public health through the use of scholarships. The ultimate goal is to award 23 scholarships to MPH students per year, 20 full-time students and 3 part-time students for a total of 69 scholarships over the course of 3 years. The MPH program is a 2-year graduate program located in the School of Nursing. The MPH program addresses the ten essential public health functions in its core curriculum and provides a wide variety of specializations and internships through the extensive public health partnerships and community networks accessible through the School of Nursing. In addition to increasing the number of graduates, the proposal seeks to enhance the MPH curriculum to educate and develop leadership acumen in areas of high need in California, such as disaster preparedness (earthquake), rapid deployment of healthcare workers, border health emergencies, outbreak response, and environmental disasters. Internships, focused on these areas of emphasis, will be enhanced by virtual learning activities embedded into multiple courses. This will serve to improve preparation of all graduates for deployment into other areas of service as needed in public health emergencies and as experienced during COVID-19. Inter-professional simulation activities with advance practice nursing students and social work students will strengthen the knowledge of MPH students in chronic disease considerations and social determinants of health and will serve to increase health promotion and prevention activities and decrease public health inequities and disparities. The project goals are to 1. Increase recruitment, retention, and graduation of MPH students by 40 students annually to 120 students by year 3, with a special emphasis on recruiting underrepresented minority students; 2. Enhance the curriculum to support diversity, inter-professional (IPE) curriculum development, student mentoring, community partnerships and research; 3. Establish an Advisory Council of political, private agency, environmental agency, academic researcher, and public health leaders to partner with faculty and students to evaluate and expand community relationships and Academic practice Partners; 4. Enhance experiential learning by providing opportunities for technology integration, digital health literacy, and telehealth as well as enhancing the development of virtual experiential learning for MPH students, faculty and preceptors; and 5. Develop and implement a rigorous evaluation of the program, its implementation and outcomes and disseminate results through professional and educational venues. Azusa Pacific University qualifies for Funding Preference based on having 27.7% of trainees who are underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities and having 42.9% of graduates who are employed in underserved communities. (See attachment 12).