Public Health

* I grew up in South-Central Los Angeles where I became aware at a very young age that the health needs of my community and many others were not being addressed. I sought out an education that would equip me with the knowledge and skills to make my community a healthier place to live. I received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Loyola Marymount and a master’s from Cal State Los Angeles, but my dream was to receive a M.P.H. from UCLA. I enrolled in the UCLA School of Public Health in the Department of Epidemiology because I wanted a thoroughly integrated education. I knew I would need one to tackle the myriad problems my community faced: crime, poverty, disease, pollution, disenfranchisement and lack of resources to raise community awareness.

The UCLA School of Public Health curriculum has exceeded my expectations. It deals with the important issues of risk and disease that lead to community-based solutions. UCLA administration plans to cut or severely downsize the school would be a tragedy. I hope the UCLA administration understands that their plan to eliminate the UCLA School of Public Health will cut off the life supply of public education to students from the Los Angeles area by dismantling the very institution that tries to help those at greatest risk for disease--the disadvantaged.

LISA V. SMITH

Los Angeles