Diversity is a Hot Topic of the 2007 Institute

Participants from around the world can design their own educational experience at the University of Minnesota Public Health institute. Working professionals, recent graduates, and current students can choose from among three weeks of courses, field trips, and special events from eight focus areas (listed below).

In response to growing interest from participants, the 2007 Institute expanded themes of diversity throughout course offering and activities. Planners and participants alike recognize the need to strengthen culturally responsive practice skills as well as draw a more diverse workforce into the field.

Institute instructor James Hart offered a community health immersion course on the rapidly growing Hispanic population in the Twin Cities. The class visited several community agencies, including St. Paul's first private Latino clinic and CLUES, an agency that has served the community for a quarter of a century.

Understanding diverse cultural perspectives in leadership was the topic of a course led by Sharon Sayles Belton. Now a senior fellow at the University's Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice, Sayles Belton was the first female and first African American to be elected mayor of Minneapolis in 1993.

For the third year Michael Trujillo, former director of the U.S. Indian Health Service, taught a course on the federal health care system for American Indians and Alaska Natives. To give students a firsthand look at some of the challenges faced by urban communities, Trujillo brought the class to the American Indian Health Board in Minneapolis.

Risk Communication for Underserved and Limited English Populations was offered for the first time and gave students insight into the unique challenges inherent in communicating with immigrant communities. This topic is relevant given that immigrant populations are growing in Minnesota and other states.

"Serving the health needs of global communities is the bedrock of public health," says Debra Olson, associate dean for public health practice and one of the institute founders. "As our population becomes more diverse, professionals must continually develop culturally relevant skills. What better place to learn and apply these skills than the institute?"