Denise Blough

From the moment Naomi Adaniya ’10 ’13 ’16 first stepped foot on Ohio State’s campus, it was clear her mission was to lift up others.

While pursuing three graduate degrees — an MPH, an MA in geography and a PhD in health services management and policy — Adaniya immersed herself in projects helping underprivileged children and aimed at reducing infant mortality. She volunteered in the office of pastoral care at the Wexner Medical Center and dedicated herself to being an effective, supportive mentor, earning the Graduate Associate Teaching Award in 2016.

College researcher explains dangers of e-cigarettes

Read more about Want evidence of systemic racism? Look to public health

Deeming racism a public health crisis was a new approach to acknowledging systemic inequities and obstacles in 2020, but within public health research and advocacy, racism’s broad and devastating impact on Black Americans has long been well-recognized.

Read more about Advocacy, public health go hand-in-hand

With lawmakers driving decisions around public health challenges including health care access, clean food and water, addiction, and vaccination, advocacy is critical to keeping communities safe, healthy and equitable.

From communicating with elected officials to leading organized policy research to calling for justice on social media, students and faculty at the College of Public Health are advocating for positive change in meaningful ways.