Pacific Index

Pacific’s Public Health Club is active and on the move 

   Public health is all about protecting and improving the health of communities. It focuses on everything from preventing disease, promoting healthy lifestyles, and creating policies and programs that keep people safe. Pacific University has a club aligned with just that. The Public Health Club is much more than a student organization. Take it from Senior Club President, Diana Gardner, “Public Health can feel like a small major, so we created a space where students can connect, support each other, and grow together.”

   The club advocates by working social and educational events. Members participate in initiatives that address public health issues while also attending social and academic events. One of the club’s most impactful initiatives has been the Period Power Project. In this campaign, members created “Cards of Care” for Positive Charge PDX to help reduce period poverty.  President Gardner explained, “The Period Power Project stands out as our most impactful initiative. Addressing period poverty is a public health equity issue, so by creating bilingual care cards it made the project inclusive and meaningful for both our members and the community.”

   The club also held an informational Zoom session with the head of Health Care for All Oregon, Rebecca Hirsch. In this session, students learned about healthcare advocacy and were made aware of internship opportunities. Just like the idea of public health, the overall goal of the club is to make sure opportunities are accessible for everyone. By having this session on Zoom it made the goal of accessibility easily attainable. This is an event they are planning to take into their future endeavors. As of now, the club is still growing their community partnerships, but have already started collaborating with a few local organizations.  

   Even though the club is still growing, the main priority is to get field experience. Initiatives like the Period Power Project allow students to apply public health work to their undergrad studies. In the future, the club wants to expand opportunities for research, outreach, and more policy involvement. Club members also organize social activity nights and academic support events. In the past years, there have been practice sessions for senior project day. Opportunities like this help to create the supportive and collaborative environment that the Public Health Club is all about. 

   The graduates of public health majors who have been in the Public Health Club commonly take diverse career paths. Some go directly into community health roles, others go to nonprofit work, research, healthcare organizations, or into advocacy roles. Many of these graduates decide to continue their education either in medical or graduate school. Junior club member Chloe Hefner mentioned, “One of the strengths of a public health degree is how flexible it is. This degree has opened the door to a wide range of opportunities for me. The club is also a big part of my career based growth.”

   No matter the major or year, membership in the club is open to all students. Underclassmen benefit from the guidance of upperclassmen, who typically offer advice about the major. For many of the members, the most rewarding part of the club is the sense of community it shares. This club is where students feel welcomed and supported. Even small gatherings, like decorating cookies or watching a movie together makes a big difference. Members are encouraged to stay engaged through campus and the local community, which adds more value to the club experience.

For those considering a career in public health, this club is the place for you. At its core, the Public Health Club combines advocacy, education, and community to prepare the next generation of public health leaders. Club President Diana Gardner leaves by giving insightful advice by saying, “Stay open minded and curious. Public health is such a broad field, and you don’t have to have everything figured out right away. Take opportunities to explore different areas, talk to people in the field, and get involved in your community.” 

Interested in joining the club? Email President Diana Gardner: gard3678@pacificu.edu