Belonging at YSPH

At the Yale School of Public Health, we’re committed to cultivating an anti-racist and inclusive culture in which all members belong and are treated with respect. Across our close community of peers, mentors, collaborators and staff, we have adopted mentorship, recruitment, retention and professional development practices to help meet our goal of having an outstanding and diverse School of Public Health—a place that better reflects the local, national and international communities we study and serve.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is embedded within our academics, research, practice and policy. We work daily to continue improving our inclusive culture with our promise to seek out and draw in expertise, materials, knowledge and skills from around the corner and around the world.

Our scientists investigate the role of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, classism, and geopolitics in health disparities. We offer MPH students the opportunity to expand their expertise through the U.S. Health Justice Concentration, regardless of their primary department. The concentration launched an Activist in Residence program in 2022 to provide students with the opportunity to work on social justice issues with the best activists in the world. Through their internships and studies, our students are true cross-disciplinary collaborators who work with diverse populations locally from New Haven to globally in Africa, South America and Asia, creating innovative, high-impact solutions to address today’s and tomorrow’s public health equity challenges.

With leadership from the School’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, diversity committee and student ambassadors, as well as the activism of our student and alumni groups, we strive for equity in our community, curriculum and work in research and practice. We are committed to offering a welcoming environment for everyone that reflects the diversity and inclusivity of the school.

Troy Lazaro, Assistant Director MPH Admissions, attended the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists. This conference was held November 14-16 in Pittsburgh, PA

Abigail Girgis, PhD candidate in Chronic Disease Epidemiology, attended the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science conference. This conference was held October 31 – November 1 in Phoenix, AZ

Mayur Desai, Professor in Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, attended the California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education at UC Riverside on October 19^th. He also attended the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference on November 2^nd.

The PhD program hosted 4 applicants through the Graduate School’s Diversity Preview Days in October, 2024. The applicants met with students, faculty and the PhD staff as well as attended a class while at YSPH.