School of Rural Public Health inducts members into honor society

The Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC) School of Rural Public Health inducted an honorary member, faculty member, 12 students and 10 alumni into the local Alpha Tau chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health on May 14 at a luncheon in their honor at the school.

The Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health was founded in 1924 at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health as the honorary society for graduate studies in public health. Honorary members are those possessing exceptional qualifications and having attained meritorious national or international distinction in the field of public health. Faculty members are nominated for outstanding performance in teaching and research, while students are chosen for scholarly performance. Alumni are nominated for actively engaging in public health work.

“Membership in Delta Omega is intended not only to recognize merit but also to encourage further excellence in and devotion to public health work,” said Antonio René, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate dean for academic affairs in the HSC-School of Rural Public Health and Alpha Tau chapter chair. “Delta Omega members reflect dedication to quality in the field of public health and to protection and advancement of the health of all people.”

The honorary inductee and luncheon guest speaker was Lucina Suarez, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the environmental epidemiology and disease registries section of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Dr. Suarez also serves as an adjunct professor at the school.

Faculty member Thomas McDonald, Ph.D., was inducted with the following students: SangNam Ahn, Patricia Billingsley, Jeffrey Bowman, Jeffrey Buck, Vanessa Cantu, Emma Dishner, Amy Hansen, Ololade (Lola) James, Chelsea Mounce, Michelle Nip, Joshua Vest and Chen Zhang. Inducted alumni were Sarah Carson, Suman Challa, Olga Gabriel, Steve Griesenbeck, Jay Jezierski, Wendy Moreno, Alicia Novoa, Rasul Ramji, Bryan Sisk and Holly Ulbrich.

Dr. Ory part of team examining physical activity, environmental policies in Brazos Valley

Marcia Ory, Ph.D. (above), Regents Professor in the Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC) School of Rural Public Health, is part of a team headed by the Brazos Valley Community Action Agency that recently received $150,000 from the Texas Department of State Health Services to establish Umbrella Partnerships – BE Active in our Town (UP-BEAT).

Dr. Ory will work with Ashley Wilson, M.P.H. (below), research scientist at the HSC-School of Rural Public Health, to evaluate physical activity and environmental policy changes for the UP-BEAT project in the Brazos Valley.

“We are thrilled that support is available to bring together partners from diverse sectors who can make a difference in reducing obesity in our community,” Dr. Ory said.

Julie Ribardo, Ph.D., director of health education and prevention at the Brazos Valley Community Action Agency, will lead the team that includes Judith Warren, Ph.D., Texas AgriLife Extension Service; Theresa Manthei, Brazos Valley Health Department; Corliss Outley, Texas A&M University Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences; and Klaus Koyer Madsen, Texas Health Institute.