Strategic Plan Letter from Dean Hakim Goals About
Community Engagement
Connecting With Community For Teaching, Research, and Service
We will continue our strong collaboration with community partners to improve health and wellness.
Community engagement and outreach define the very core of public health, and our college continues to develop and implement the latest evidence-based opportunities in our community, bringing together research, teaching, practice, and service. MEZCOPH has a long history of service in communities throughout the state, region, the nation, and internationally.
The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized how critical public health is to the well-being of society, and MEZCOPH has continued to excel in community engagement and outreach through our partnerships by centering the community in our efforts. MEZCOPH is proud to have and continues to expand effective partnerships and linkages with the community, community agencies, and community-based organizations. Our success in building and expanding partnerships is directly related to the resources that are devoted to supporting MEZCOPH’s endeavors in building health equity and the elimination of health disparities, building, and strengthening collaboration, targeting healthy Arizona goals, and strengthening public health preparedness.
We understand the importance of serving and working alongside state, county, and tribal health departments, Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHC)-both rural and urban, and hospitals, as these entities deliver the most essential public health services in the state of Arizona. Up to 75% of the public health workforce has no formal public health training, and MEZCOPH has a distinctive role in continuing education activities for the public health community in Arizona. MEZCOPH plays a key role in providing technical support to state and local health departments, community partner organizations, industries, and agencies throughout Arizona to build capacity and provide technical assistance in workforce development, program development, and program evaluation, including public health emergency preparedness. These collaborative relationships help our college not only provide services to the current public health workforce but create a reciprocal relationship between academia and the community which further develops and trains the best public health graduates through MEZCOPH’s commitment to the community.
“We will build on our strong partnerships and experience with community engagement to deliver collaborative programs that bring together research, teaching, practice and service to benefit all our communities, grow the public health workforce, and expand health equity in Arizona and beyond.”
Paloma Beamer PhD
Interim Associate Dean, Community Engagement
Goals & Strategy
Center Minority Population Concerns in MEZCOPH Activities
- Perform Community Needs Assessments
- Targeted Outreach to Minority Communities to Enhance our Community
- Cultivate a Coordinated Network of Partnerships
Develop a Centralized Translational Science Database for MEZCOPH to Share Knowledge with the University and the Public
- Build Cross-Departmental and MEZCOPH Knowledge of Community Engagement Efforts and Importance
Embed experiential and service learning throughout MEZCOPH's professional and interprofessional training
- Develop Service-Learning Requirements for All Students
- Plan College Service Days
Support Students to Engage with MEZCOPH Communities
- Provide Service Activities for Students to Support MEZCOPH Communities
Help to Develop the Workforce Utilizing our Community Stakeholders
- Workforce Development
