Inspired by an uncle who served in the Navy, Michael Figueroa Osorio enlisted at 18 as a hospital corpsman. That service led to a lifelong commitment to public health. “It’s a role full of pride,” Figueroa Osorio said, of his time in the Navy. “At first, I was just doing it for fun, to get my feet wet and figure myself out. But then I found myself in a collective where I felt like I belonged.”

From service to purpose

After completing his corpsman training, Figueroa Osorio enrolled in additional schooling and testing to become a preventive medicine technician, a public health-focused role that involved administering vaccinations, running disease prevention programs and conducting sanitation inspections.

In 2021, he deployed to Kabul during the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan, providing medical care at Abbey Gate, one of the main airport checkpoints.

“We were working 24 hours on, 24 hours off, providing direct care,” he said. “A lot of these people had been through a lot – broken noses, broken bones, malnourished. I remember seeing pregnant mothers and thinking about my own mom. I was like, man, I cannot wait to give my mom a hug.”

On Aug. 26, 2021, a suicide bombing killed 13 service members and dozens of Afghan civilians.

“I could have died that day,” Figueroa Osorio said, “and ever since that day, I’ve told myself I always want to do more.”

He decided to apply his Navy experience back home by pursuing a career in public health. His first stop: UW-Milwaukee.

Coming home to serve

At UW-Milwaukee, things started to click as Figueroa Osorio connected his studies to his experiences growing up on Milwaukee’s south side. “We were talking about systemic issues in class — how the poor stay poor, and the rich get richer, and why medical care and food are so expensive,” he said. “I started connecting the dots in my own life. This is why we struggled so much growing up.”

He also found encouragement. One particular moment stands out: During his final field experience presentation, a professor addressed his imposter syndrome. “He looked at me and was like, ‘You belong.’ That hit me hard. It still does now. I was like, ‘I do, yeah, I do.’”

Rooted in community

Figueroa Osorio completed his bachelor’s degree in public health in May 2025 and is continuing into a master’s program in Community & Behavioral Health Promotion. He says one of his long-term goals is to be a leader in his field — not only to shape public health but to inspire others who come from a background like his. Before graduation, Figueroa Osorio began working as the food pantry coordinator at Bay View Community Center, serving many of the same neighborhoods he grew up in.

“I try to run it in a way where we can teach people and help people out,” he said.

In addition to distributing food and other household products, Figueroa Osorio partners with other organizations to offer food demos, mental wellness kits and health literacy classes.

“I’m proud of the purpose I’ve found again after the Navy,” he said. “This doesn’t feel like a job to me. This feels like something I am meant to do.”

The post From Navy Corpsman to Community Advocate: 51���� Public Health Student Finds His Purpose appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Scott Strath, PhD, Professor of Kinesiology at the Zilber College, is serving on a World Health Organization (WHO) Physical Activity (PA) Working Group focused on the integration of wearables and activity monitors into global physical activity surveillance efforts.

This international initiative is examining how emerging technologies—such as accelerometers and consumer wearable devices—can strengthen the measurement and monitoring of physical activity worldwide!

Strath’s participation reflects both his expertise in objective physical activity assessment and the Zilber College’s continued commitment to advancing innovative, evidence-based approaches that inform global health policy and practice.

The post From Milwaukee to the World: Kinesiology Faculty Expertise Shapes Global Health Policy appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Key Points

• Iranian college students have struggled to hear from family back home amid a government-imposed communications blackout.
• The Iranian Student Association at 51���� created a memorial Jan. 27 to educate others about the government crackdown.
• Iranians are one of the largest international student population at 51����. Most are pursuing master’s degrees and PhDs.

For weeks, Narges couldn’t reach her family and friends back home in Iran. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee graduate student worried about the worst-case scenario as she watched protests convulse her home country and the government brutally crack down on demonstrators.

“These are ordinary people – artists, athletes, journalists,” she said. “The news we are hearing is like a horror movie.”

At least 41,000 protesters have been arrested and 6,100 people have died, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The group confirms each death with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The numbers may grow as they continue verifying, but it’s been difficult to do so because the Iranian government shut down the internet and disrupted phone service.

It was only on Jan. 27 that Narges, a Ph.D. student in public health, heard from her sister. Her family was OK but some friends were not. A colleague of her brother’s, for example, was arrested at his workplace because he had written critically of the Islamic regime on social media. No one has heard from him since the arrest, she said.

Narges and others in the Iranian Student Association set up a makeshift memorial in the middle of 51����’s student union for a few hours during the first week of classes. Votive candles and roses surrounded pictures of victims. Instrumental Iranian music played from nearby speakers, adding to the funereal scene.

“People in Iran don’t have a voice,” Narges said. “It’s the responsibility of Iranians living outside the country to be their voice.”

Iranians are one of the largest international student population at 51����. Most are pursuing master’s degrees and PhDs. The students interviewed for this story requested the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel publish only their first names, fearing retribution for their families back home.

Some students living two lives as protests rock Iran

The demonstrations began in late December over high inflation and economic grievances but have grown into a nationwide movement to end the Islamic Republic system of government.

The citizen uprising poses the most serious threats to the Islamic regime in years,  The Iranian government and its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have blamed “terrorist” teams tied to Israel and the U.S. for infiltrating the protests and stoking more violence.

Iranian students in Milwaukee are living two lives, caught between their coursework and a humanitarian crisis unfolding in their homeland.

The effort to connect with family amid a communications blackout has emotionally exhausted them. One student sent a list of names to a friend of friend, asking for them to check in on her loved ones’ well-being. Maryam, a Ph.D. student in civil engineering, said her family borrowed a friend’s Starlink device to tell her they were safe.

Activists  into the country as a way to bypass the government and communicate with the outside world. But the system is available to just a sliver of the Iranian population.

Maryam was relieved to hear her family members had survived. But others hadn’t fared as well. She said a friend of her father’s, a doctor, was arrested for treating injured protesters and was taken to a prison. Human rights groups have  inside state prisons.

Maryam felt an obligation to speak out. She turned her anger into education to the wider 51���� community.

The Iranian Student Association scoured social media and news reports to write short profiles of more than 150 protest victims, which they displayed on posters as part of the memorial. A handout sheet encouraged people to post about Iran on social media, discuss it in classes and bring it up among friends.

Some people were moved by the memorial. One student wiped away a stray tear. Others stuck Post-it notes onto a whiteboard, affirming their support of human rights and solidarity with Iranians.

“This is what we can do to support our people,” Maryam said. “We try to be their voice.”

A rally to support the Iranian people is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. It begins at Colectivo Coffee, 1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.

The post 51���� Students Give Voice to Protesters in Iran with Makeshift Memorial appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

What Rachel valued most during her MPH experience was the strong, personal support she received from faculty. She describes them as both knowledgeable and genuinely invested in her success—encouraging her to explore her unique interests while helping her navigate the added challenges of completing graduate school while working and parenting. That mentorship, paired with the program’s flexibility and relevance, helped her thrive academically and professionally.

Rachel’s academic journey also led directly to her career. During her MPH program, she completed her summer field experience with the Wisconsin Bike Fed—an opportunity that grew into a part-time paid position and, eventually, into her current full-time role as the organization’s Pedestrian Safety Program Manager. “It’s my dream job,” she says. Today, she spends her time engaging with community members across Milwaukee County to understand their experiences walking in their neighborhoods, while advocating for infrastructure and policies that support safer streets for everyone.

Looking ahead, Rachel is excited to continue growing in her role and helping to shape the future of pedestrian safety and active transportation in the region. Her long-term goal is to normalize non-driving options in Milwaukee County and to help the community meet physical activity goals through walking, rolling, and biking. Central to her vision is the belief that dignity should exist in every mode of transportation—and that the built environment should reflect that value.

For students or professionals considering a similar path, Rachel offers practical and empowering advice: don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. If you’re interested in an organization or program, reach out and start a conversation. Being proactive, while staying open to unexpected pathways, can unlock a wide range of meaningful career possibilities.

Rachel’s journey demonstrates how passion, perseverance, and purpose-driven training can come together to create real change—one safer, healthier street at a time.

The post Building Safer, Healthier Streets: How MPH Alum Rachel Goochey Turned Her Passion Into a Career in Pedestrian Safety appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Florsheim’s argument draws on long-standing legal precedents and the public-trust doctrine. On the other side, the Village of Shorewood and a nearby property owner argue that private shoreline property owners hold exclusive access rights between the high-water mark and the water’s edge, citing a 1923 ruling on a different lake that has traditionally been used to limit shoreline access.

If the court sides with Florsheim, the decision could establish a new precedent in Wisconsin, potentially opening more of Lake Michigan’s shoreline for public use. Supporters note that similar cases in other Great Lakes states have confirmed the public’s right to walk coastal shorelines. The case — and the impending ruling — may fundamentally alter how property rights and public access along the lake are balanced in Wisconsin.

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The post Zilber Professor Seeks Legal Decision Ensuring Public Rights to Great Lakes Beaches appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

The Clinical Research Scholars Program provides junior faculty with intensive training and individualized mentoring to support successful careers in clinical and translational research. Designed to prepare participants for independent, grant-funded research careers, the program ensures scholars receive protected research time, access to key resources, a supportive environment, and advanced training in clinical research methodology.

As a public health researcher, implementation scientist, and prevention scholar, Hennessy Garza is committed to building a world free from sexual violence. Her work focuses on the development, testing, and adoption of evidence-based prevention strategies to end campus sexual violence, with an emphasis on translating research into routine practice across college campuses nationwide.

By joining the Clinical Research Scholars Program, Hennessy Garza will collaborate with a dynamic cohort of researchers, educators, and physicians working to advance clinical and translational science in Wisconsin and beyond. Her acceptance into this highly competitive program not only highlights her outstanding contributions to public health research but also underscores the Zilber College’s commitment to addressing urgent public health challenges through innovative, evidence-based solutions.

The post Rose Hennessy Garza Accepted into Prestigious Clinical Research Scholars Program appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Holliday’s course offering — “Healthcare Across the Pond: Understanding Access to and Maintenance of Healthcare for Transgender, Intersex, and Nonbinary Adults in Wales”—is scheduled for June 16, 23, and 30 at 12:30 p.m.

Their course will include an introduction to trans, intersex, and nonbinary health; a review of health theories focusing on self-management and health justice; and an overview of their dissertation study.

Their course will showcase the work they have done to build participatory research methods (a form of community engagement) into their dissertation including three years of service with a Welsh mutual aid group, Trans Aid Cymru. Despite the international focus, the class may be helpful for anyone interested in learning more about trans, intersex, and nonbinary people or about navigating barriers to health and healthcare. 

Aside from building bridges between academia and the public, the OLLI Scholars initiative offers tangible support for graduate researchers. Participants receive stipends funded through donations by Osher members during 51����’s “414 for 51���� Giving Days.”

By giving advanced students the opportunity to guide lifelong learners through cutting-edge research, the program fosters mentorship, communication skills, and an enriching exchange of ideas across generations. Holliday’s public health-focused presentation not only enriches community learning but also exemplifies the initiative’s goal of making academic inquiry meaningful and relevant beyond the university walls.

The post Zilber College PhD Candidate Dan Holliday Brings Public Health Research to a Broader Audience through OLLI Scholars Program appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

SAMCHE, which operates under the , collected items such as panty liners, tampons, and disposable pads. The donations were delivered in person to Sojourner, where the student leadership team met with Executive Director Carmen Pitre to present the items and express appreciation for the Center’s work in supporting families affected by domestic violence. This initiative reflects SAMCHE’s ongoing commitment to advancing equity in maternal and child health across Wisconsin. 

The post MCH Student Advocates support Sojourner Family Peace Center with donation drive  appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

We’re so proud of all our MPH graduates! 

• Erica Brincka, Nutrition & Dietetics 
• Cianna Colon, Nutrition & Dietetics 
• Emma Durkin-Wagner, Epidemiology 
• Kate Enriquez, Environmental Health Sciences 
• Carlos Galvan, Epidemiology 
• Rachel Goochey, Environmental Health Sciences 
• Madelyn Hill, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• David Jakubek, Nutrition & Dietetics 
• Delaney Ortiz, Nutrition & Dietetics 
• Ifadha Jayah, Public Health Policy 
• Marcel Kline, Epidemiology 
• Kayla Lane, Environmental Health Sciences 
• Riley Leckwee, Epidemiology 
• Afrah Yafai, Epidemiology 
• Hailey Jaschob, Epidemiology 
• Evelyn Kurtz, Epidemiology 
• Maria Mundt, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• Hannah Neuman, Public Health Policy 
• Xiarah Ortiz, Public Health Policy 
• Vanessa Ramirez, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• Brooke Ramusack, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• Alyssa Ruediger, Biostatistics 
• Stephanie Siwak, Epidemiology 
• Danijela Skilijevic, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• Lauren Smith, Epidemiology 
• Hannah Sorensen, Public Health Policy 
• Kyriaki Topetzes, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• Benjamin Wells, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion 
• Alexis Young, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion

The post Newest MPH graduates celebrate the completion of their Capstone Projects  appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Some public health experts are describing this situation as a “tragedy,” one that fosters existing inequities and potentially even crime.

Research from the UW-Milwaukee Zilber School of Public Health indicates that Black and Brown children are disproportionately at risk of lead exposure from lead paint and aging plumbing in older homes within their neighborhoods.

In a recent TMJ4 Lighthouse 360 report, several voices came together to address this pressing issue, each highlighting the urgent need for effective solutions. TMJ4’s Ryan Jenkins shares the perspectives of a medical director, public health professor, radio show host and grassroots organizer, which all converge on a critical truth about the dangers of lead exposure and the demand for action.

“It’s more than perplexing to me that all these years later, we’re still dealing with paint exposure,” said Earl Ingram, a longtime Milwaukee resident and radio show host.

As he approaches his 71st birthday, Ingram has made it his mission to shed light on critical community issues, including the city’s lead crisis in schools and homes. He criticized the lack of leadership surrounding the issue.

“How is it that the wealthiest nation on Earth is moving so slow to find, fund and execute solutions to the lead that is poisoning Milwaukee’s kids?” he asked.

Ingram emphasized the need for elected officials to prioritize addressing the crisis.

“Being elected is one thing. Doing what is necessary to protect the children of this nation is altogether something different,” he said.

Dr. Heather Paradis, medical director of the Integrated Lead Program at Children’s Wisconsin, warned that failing to address lead exposure will have serious long-term impacts.

“Exposure over time can lead to growth delay, learning difficulties, a decrease in IQ, and more aggressive behaviors. These can certainly lead to lifelong impacts,” Paradis said.

Data underscores the severity of the issue. Dr. Paradis pointed out that Milwaukee is not only a segregated city but a “hyper-segregated” one.

“Unfortunately, we do see the majority of our lead poisoning burden existing within our near north and near south side communities, which are children of color, children living at or below the poverty level, and children who may have other social vulnerabilities,” she said.

What Dr. Heather Paradis says parents should know:

• Children under the age of 6 are most at risk of the negative impacts of lead because of their curious nature and hand-to-mouth behavior.
• Children must be exposed to and ingest lead to be poisoned.
• Those especially at risk live in homes or go to school buildings built before 1978 and that have recently undergone renovations.
• Although less common nowadays, lead can be found in the water and soil as well.

The implications of lead exposure extend beyond health; they may also be connected to rising crime rates.

Amy Kalkbrenner, a professor of public health at Zilber College, told Jenkins about her research linking lead exposure to criminal activity.

“We looked at lead exposure in children living in Milwaukee and were able to link this up with criminal records—either as a perpetrator or a victim of gun violence,” she said. “We found that the more lead exposure, the more likely someone was to either commit or be a victim of a firearm-related crime.”

Kalkbrenner believes interventions require a broader societal approach rather than solely addressing individual families.

“It’s almost as if there’s a price tag to being in a safe environment,” she said, adding that such expectations are “simply not fair.”

She echoed Ingram’s call for local and federal government support to aid those most affected.

Meanwhile, local leaders like Melody McCurtis, deputy director and lead organizer at Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, are taking action.

“Black and brown communities are really suffering and paying the most, not only with their pockets and limited resources, but also with their health,” she said.

McCurtis and her team have been working door-to-door to distribute water filters to vulnerable families, aiming to provide some peace of mind and educational resources regarding the crisis.

Ingram hopes for increased community awareness and activism. “It is incumbent upon people in the community to step up, first to be educated, then to bring pressure on the elected officials so they understand that this should be priority one,” he said.

As the lead crisis continues to affect Milwaukee’s children, the call for urgent action resonates loudly among community leaders and health experts alike.

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