UIC is helping to build the next generation of public health leaders

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UIC's School of Public Health is helping to foster the next generation of public health leaders with its pilot program, Chicago Public Health Innovators.

The pathway program, more commonly called ChiPHI, exposes high schoolers to public health and career options in the field.

"It's really important for youth to be leading the conversation within public health," said Emily Etzkorn, program manager. "We know that when you center the lived experiences of the people who are most impacted by an issue or have the most experience, that's really when you get the best and most sustainable innovations."

The program highlights how public health efforts help improve the well-being of individuals and communities.

"We wanted to emphasize why public health is needed, because it actually works behind the scenes to save people's lives," said Alicia Camuy, program coordinator and a graduate research assistant in the UIC School of Public Health.

ChiPHI is offered in partnership through the Chicago Department of Public Health, Healthy Chicago Zones and One Summer Chicago.

"We are always proud to work alongside UIC's School of Public Health, which shares the Chicago Department of Public Health's mission of fostering stronger and healthier communities in our city," said Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo "Simbo" Ige. "Through both ChiPHI and our partnership with Healthy Chicago Zones, UIC School of Public Health brings real-world public health prowess and rigor to create opportunities for young people to discover their potential in our field - and for us to learn from them. Together, we know that our ChiPHI participants of today will rise to meet the public health challenges of tomorrow."

Program participants explore healthy eating through planting food. Meg Humphrey, a multimedia artist and body liberation-focused movement coach/certified trainer, talks about food access, chronic disease, disability justice and wellness with ChiPHI participants.

(Photos: Jenny Fontine/UIC)

The students meet Monday through Wednesday on the west side of UIC's campus for immersive classroom work, field trips and guest talks that highlight public health topics like social determinants of health, chronic disease and food disparities. The program is designed to be participatory and inclusive, with a focus on community and academic knowledge.

"When they're in the classroom with us, students are learning about academic concepts, tools like the Chicago Health Atlas and all these research terms and methods. Of course, we try to meet them where they're at and really shift the learning environment to be more horizontal than vertical, where everyone's expertise is valued," said Etzkorn, a visiting research specialist with the UIC School of Public Health.

On Thursday and Friday, students work with their communities at Healthy Chicago Zone organizations, experiencing public health firsthand.

"With the regional leads, the students are engaged in public health field experience. So they're taking their learning outside of the classroom," Etzkorn said. "For example, they might experience what a day in the life is like for a public health worker at Swedish Covenant Hospital."

The six-week program culminates July 31 with the ChiPHI Symposium, where students share innovative projects they developed to address public health issues affecting their communities.

"The reason why we called this program the Chicago Public Health Innovators is specifically because of the final project," Camuy said.

ChiPHI also includes a leadership development component on professional skills such as resume building, networking and conflict resolution to help students succeed in public health careers.

ChiPHI participants visit the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago. Students explore the National Public Housing Museum. Tajan Al-Safarini quietly reflects while visiting the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago.

(Photos: Jenny Fontine/UIC)

With help from One Summer Chicago, students can receive nearly $2,000 in wages for up to 120 hours over the summer.

Sai Ariga, 17, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, was attracted to the program because he's considering a future career in health care.

"I wanted to explore the different paths of health care, and public health is definitely one I've been interested in, because it ties into that aspect of community and focusing in on how we can build a stronger and healthier community," Ariga said.

Through his participation, he's come to realize his voice matters.

"One thing that stuck out to me is how, in public health, it's really the people in your own community who work to improve your health outcomes. And that's just something I've appreciated from this program," he said.

Kamaria Frazier, 16, a junior at Kenwood Academy High School, plans to go to medical school to become a neurosurgeon. ChiPHI is helping her to see the importance that trust plays in public health.

"I see a lot of parallels in science and the health care industry," Frazier said. "The other day, we were talking about trust in the community and the COVID vaccine. People started to get the vaccine once there was trust."

Frazier learned about ChiPHI through One Summer Chicago and her summer job search. She hopes her experience with the program will inspire others.

"Being a part of this program is really special, especially at the end, when we show our final projects," Frazier said. "Others will get to see what we've learned, how we've evolved and how this program is very special. It can really help a lot of high schoolers to see what they want to be when they grow up."