School of Public Health
SPH Students to Present Community-Driven Solutions at Changemakers Showcase Event
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Aims to solve local public health challenges
The University of Memphis School of Public Health is supporting student innovation through the PH-CARES Public Health Changemakers initiative, which provides students with opportunities to design and implement creative solutions to local public health challenges.
Through the program, 20 students receive a mini-grant and are given the agency to propose, design, and implement a public health project of their choosing while partnering with community organizations to address public health needs in Memphis and surrounding communities. The initiative provides a hands-on learning experience that helps students build practical skills in grant development, budgeting, project planning and program implementation, while strengthening partnerships with community organizations.
Research guidance for the program is provided by a faculty advisory group including Alex Parkhouse, PhD, MA; Fanta Gutema, DVM, MSc, BSc, MPH, PhD, CPH PhD; Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya, PhD, MBBS, MA ; Lori Ward, PhD, MS; Meredith Ray, PhD; and Xinhua Yu, MD, PhD, MS. Project design, implementation, and coordination with community partners are supported by the PH-IDEAS staff team, including Stella Dockery, Brian McGoldrick, Michelle Jeu, Niharika Jha, Annette Rhodes, Deanna McMillian, Laura Granack, Kami Geron, Diyala Abdlrasul, Sarah Johnson and Devin Woods.
Participants will present the outcomes of their projects during the Public Health Changemakers Showcase on March 27 from 12:30–2:00 PM, at the University of Memphis, Michael D. Rose Theater Main Stage, where they will share their work, lessons learned and the impact of their initiatives on the communities they serve.
For more information click on the image below:
The Office of Communications at The University of Memphis School of Public Health