Ready to Serve: Building a Day-1-Ready Public Health Workforce for Kansas and Beyond

The K-State MPH Program was awarded the Public Health Scholarship Program by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA, Award Number: 1 T52HP46763-01-00) in 2022. This scholarship program aimed to prepare the public health workforce who live and work in Kansas, to promote the expansion of public health systems through strategic scholarships. A U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration grant allowed Kansas State University to offer scholarships for tuition, supplies, books and travel for part-time and full-time students in the K-State Master of Public Health program.

Objectives of the program included expanding public health systems' capacities by recruiting and training day-one-ready public health workers; meeting public health workforce needs for skilled workers by deploying an equity-infused training program; facilitating career planning for public health trainees through a career readiness and mentoring program using public health partners; and identifying and delivering practicum sites for public health trainees with public health partners, and experiential-learning exposure to career opportunities.

Students pursuing a public health graduate certificate, a Master of Public Health degree, and in accelerated degree paths such as the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/Master of Public Health degree program or public health bachelor's degree/Master of Public Health program were awarded scholarships.

From 2022 to 2025, scholarships were awarded to 74 scholars living and working in Kansas, including 11 Public Health Certificate students and 63 Master of Public Health (MPH) students. This student group included 9 Food Safety & Biosecurity, 32 Infectious Diseases & Zoonoses, 17 Public Health Nutrition, 5 Public Health Physical Activity MPH students. In addition, 10 students were in accelerated BS/MPH programs, 6 students were in the accelerated DVM/MPH program, and 2 students were pursuing a PhD. These scholars and graduates are currently working in public health in Kansas and other states, with 37 scholars being full time employed while they are working on their studies. 9 scholars graduated in 2024, with 6 scholars are working in KS, 1 AL, 1 TX and 2 scholars are pursuing further education (1 MD, 1 DVM).

 

For more information, contact:

Dr. Ellyn Mulcahy

K-State MPH Director
emulcahy@k-state.edu
785-532-2117