��������

Professor Jamie Luckhardt, MPH, CHES, who previously spent nine years in public health as a health educator, is focused on growing partnerships between the University of New Haven and local health districts.

During the spring semester, Prof. Luckhardt invited representatives from the and the to speak to her students in her “Public Health Practice” course.

"I have made it my mission to use my expertise and network connections to provide students with real-world learning opportunities,” said Prof. Luckhardt, who also recently earned the 2025 Excellence in Teaching Award for part-time instructors.

"We need good public health partnerships to strengthen and guide the next generation of public health leaders." Jamie Luckhardt, MPH, CHES

Luckhardt, who has been appointed a full-time practitioner-in-residence at the University continued, saying, “Partnerships between local health and academia enhance community engagement and strengthen the University’s ties to public health practice. We need good public health partnerships to strengthen and guide the next generation of public health leaders."

During their visits, students learned how health district officials evaluate their programs, build networks, and support one another as public health professionals.

Reyusha Chalise ’25 MPH, said, that the visit, “reinforced and changed my understanding of health education by showing me that it’s not just about delivering information, but about creating dynamic, evidence-based programs that are continuously evaluated and adapted.

“The use of data analytics in program evaluation helped me understand the importance of measurable outcomes to guide public health efforts,” Chalise continued. “I now see that health education is not just about raising awareness, but about implementing interventions that are effective, measurable, and continuously improved based on community feedback and data.”

“These presentations helped reinforce my beliefs in public health being a distinct, diverse field needing both technical skills and interpersonal skills,” explained Gopi Chandh Sangepu ’25 MPH.

“I saw professionals talking about their daily activities, and it confirmed that such work is done collaboratively across disciplines and sectors, and that my background in biology, coupled with good communication skills, can facilitate emancipation in epidemiology. The session helped me expand my view of all the kinds of career opportunities if I want to eventually become an EIS officer in public health, as well as an understanding of how my job will be in the future working with other public health professionals. It was most important to hear about their challenges and successes, which reenforced my interest to go for a career that involves scientific investigation along with making a meaningful impact on the community through evidence-based public health practice, specifically in disease surveillance and outbreak response.”

These experiences surely left a lasting impression on the students who participated as they embark on their future careers in public health.