SUNY Potsdam to Celebrate Fourth Annual Public Health Day

SUNY Potsdam Department of Public Health Welcomes Campus & Community Members for Public Health Day

Potsdam, NY (10/05/2026) — SUNY Potsdam's Public Health Program will host its fourth annual Public Health Day on Thursday, Oct. 29, as the College welcomes guests and partners at non-profit organizations to celebrate public health and energize the next generation of practitioners in St. Lawrence County.

This year's theme, "Health Equity: Challenges & Opportunities in the North Country," will spotlight the unique public health realities facing rural and regional communities across Northern New York.

Public Health Day will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 29 in the Barrington Student Union on SUNY Potsdam's campus. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Learn more & register: Public Health Day at SUNY Potsdam

Featuring a keynote from Tina Kim, MSPH, deputy commissioner of the New York State Department of Health's Office of Health Equity and Human Rights, the event will explore challenges to public health, focusing on the role of the social environment, and highlight innovative solutions and collaborative opportunities to create healthier, more inclusive communities.

Designed as a conference-style experience, Public Health Day will bring together students, faculty, public health professionals, and community members for a full day of learning and engagement. The program will feature:

• Interactive breakout sessions presented by local public health agency leaders
• A moderated viewing of "Becoming American" from the :Unnatural Causes: Are Inequalities Making Us Sick" documentary
• A student research poster session showcasing emerging public health scholarship
• Networking opportunities with regional public health leaders and organizations
• Complimentary lunch for attendees

Public Health Day continues to serve as a signature campus and community event -- fostering dialogue, collaboration, and action toward a healthier North Country.

This year's breakout sessions will provide immersive opportunities to learn about different public health challenges:

• Led by the Northern Area Health Education Center (NAHEC), "Dementia Reality" is a virtual reality training that teaches empathy and understanding, by allowing participants to view a scenario first through the eyes of a caregiver and then from the perspective of someone living with dementia.
• "In Their Shoes: Teen Dating and Relationship Violence" is a classroom-based simulation, also offered by NAHEC, which explores how to recognize patterns of violence in teenage relationships, as well as intervention strategies to support young people.
• "The Game of Life: Food Security in St. Lawrence County" will feature GardenShare staff challenging participants to think about what their neighbors may be experiencing, and how the realities of life can creative increased difficulties with accessing food.
• The St. Lawrence County Department of Public Health will lead "Humans Don't Hibernate," featuring challenges, games and real-life scenarios focused on nutrition, physical activity and well-being-helping participants to find ways to stay active even when the weather is cold.

Joelle Monaco will lead a session titled "Burnout Isn't a Rite of Passage. It's a Reality Check.: Building Sustainable Well-Being at Work," and Dr. Andrea Sonenberg will present "Mothers on the Margins: Tackling Maternal Healthcare Inequities in Rural America."

A networking lunch will provide an opportunity for participants to connect directly with agency leaders, who will go from table to table to discuss their work and upcoming career opportunities in the field.

A final agency roundtable discussion to close out the day will be facilitated by SUNY Potsdam public health faculty and students and by NAHEC. Key discussion points will include ways that organizations can address mental health challenges, and strategies for collaborating across agencies to share knowledge, resources and best practices.

Public Health Day is designed to promote the discipline of public health and celebrate champions in our communities. The event is made possible through partnerships with local organizations, including the Seaway Valley Prevention Council, St. Lawrence County Drug Free Coalition's Prevention Education and Community Empowerment (PEACE) Coalition, and the Northern Area Health Education Center, and is graciously funded by the Lougheed Center for Applied Learning.

SUNY Potsdam offers both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in public health -- all 100 percent online. The baccalaureate program includes options for a specialized nutrition pathway, and prepares students to complete the Community Health Specialist Exam. The graduate program prepares students to take on leadership roles in agencies that respond to the most pressing public health problems. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/publichealth.

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