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SUNY Potsdam Celebrates Public Health Day and Renames Degree Offerings, in Line with the Field

SUNY Potsdam Announces Renaming of B.S. and M.S. Degrees in Public Health

Potsdam, NY (05/03/2023) — SUNY Potsdam's Department of Public Health and Human Performance will host its first Public Health Day on Friday, May 5, as the College welcomes local high schools, partners at non-profit organizations and members of the community to learn more about the field.

Public Health Day is designed to promote the discipline of public health and celebrate champions in our communities.

It's the perfect venue for the department to share the official renaming of its Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in public health, to better reflect the nature of the programs. The degrees had long been known as community health, but recently received approval from SUNY and the New York State Department of Education to be renamed to best reflect the curriculum.

"We are excited to announce that SUNY Potsdam will be renaming its undergraduate and graduate programs to better reflect the changing needs of the field and marketplace. With the rise of new health challenges and an ever-changing public health landscape, we understand the importance of preparing our students to succeed in their careers," said the program director, Professor Dr. Kelly Bonnar. "We have been waiting a long time for this. We believe that this renaming is an important step in ensuring that our graduates have the opportunities they need to excel and thrive."

Organized by faculty and students in SUNY Potsdam's undergraduate and graduate programs in public health, with organizational support and resources from the CSTEP and NCSTEP programs, the Public Health Day event will be dedicated to the topic of food justice. There will be breakout sessions, a devised theatre performance, student presentations and a tour of the Campus Food Pantry.

The keynote speaker is alumna Hayley Davis '15, who has extensive experience in the areas of food policy, non-profit development, plant-based nutrition, urban farming and social equity. She serves on the board of the Field and Fork Network and was named to the NYC Food Policy Center's "40 Under 40" list.

SUNY Potsdam's Department of Public Health and Human Performance offers career-ready bachelor's degrees in public health and exercise science, plus its 100 percent online master's degree in public health. The department also has popular minors in wilderness education, therapeutic recreation and more. For more information, visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/department-public-health-and-human-performance.

About SUNY Potsdam:

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.

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Media Attachments

SUNY Potsdam will celebrate Public Health Day and mark the official renaming of its undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field on May 5. Seen here is Kady Konate '20, meeting with internship site supervisors from non-profit organizations from across the North Country at the department’s annual networking gathering.

Food insecurity is the theme of the Public Health Day being held at SUNY Potsdam on Friday, May 5, sponsored by the Department of Public Health and Human Performance.

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