10/21/2026
Thank you to the Alabama Department of Public Health for hosting Public Health 101 Career Day 2026. Students from the Tuskegee University, College of Veterinary Medicine's (TUCVM) Department of Graduate Public Health, CVM-Tuskegee University Program recently joined other undergraduate and graduate students from the state and attended the Public Health Career Day 2026. Dr. Torhonda Lee - Department Head for the TUCVM Master of Public Health (MPH) Program, Mrs. Samina Akhter - Director of Assessment and Analytics, and Career Placement Service, and Dr. Nelson Oranye, Associate Professor in the Department of Graduate Public Health, all accompanied the MPH students and traveled to The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Training Center in Prattville, Alabama, for the ADPH Public Health 101 Career Day 2026 held on September 23.
The one-day event provided a networking occasion, career pathway exploration, and a tour of the State Public Health Laboratory for students interested in exploring careers in public health. Participants had the opportunity to connect with public health professionals, learn about career pathways, and gain a behind-the-scenes look at the work of a state public health laboratory.
This experience proved to be both inspiring and rewarding for TUCVM’s MPH students as they explored the many possibilities within the field of public health.
Throughout the event, students gained greater clarity about the purpose and impact of public health careers, as well as the diverse career pathways available to them through their training at Tuskegee University and beyond. The experience helped connect classroom learning with real-world public health practice, reinforcing their commitment to making a difference in their communities. A highlight of the visit for students was meeting and hearing the perspective of Dr. Kenneth W. Harrison, Director of the Workforce Development Office at the Alabama Department of Public Health. Dr. Harrison shared valuable information about workforce development initiatives and internship opportunities, providing students with practical guidance on preparing for successful careers in public health.
TUCVM’s public health student James Wilcher, Class of 2028, shared his appreciation for being selected to attend the 2026 ADPH Public Health 101 Career Day 2026. In his reflections, he described the experience as highly informative and engaging, providing valuable exposure to the many organizations within the Alabama Department of Public Health and the valuable knowledge on the wide range of career opportunities available in the public health field.
“This event offered a welcoming environment in which I could interact with professionals and gain a deeper understanding of public health practice at both the community and state levels.
“One of the main highlights of the event for me was the laboratory tour, which provided firsthand insight into the critical role ADPH plays in disease detection and prevention through biological and chemical testing, which is very interesting to me,” Wilcher said.
Following the experience, Mr. Wilcher expressed his intention to maintain connections with the professionals and organizations he met during the event and hopes to pursue an ADPH internship opportunity as he looks to graduate and enter the profession in the next couple of years.
About the TUCVM Department of Graduate Public Health:
The Department of Graduate Public Health (DGPH) program is under the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM). The DGPH operates following its mission, vision, and core values. The Graduate Public Health Program accepted its first cohort in August 2011 entrusted with the rights and privileges to offer the Master of Public Health and the Master of Science in Public Health (MPH) degrees. The vision of the DGPH program is to address health inequities and protect, promote and sustain the public’s health. Building upon the legacy of Tuskegee University, the mission of the DGPH program is to prepare the next generation of diverse leadership through research, innovation, advocacy and community engagement. The DGPH program core values include ethical leadership, integrity, excellence and diversity of gender, ethnicity, and culture. To learn more, visit https://www.tuskegee.edu/academics/colleges-schools/cvm/Department-of-Graduate-Public-Health/graduate-public-health.html .
