Gould Library

Breaking Down Barriers to Health: Public Health in Practice is an exhibit designed by participants in the winter break off-campus Public Health in Practice program led by Professor of Biology, Debby Walser-Kuntz. Their journey began this past fall with an introductory public health course that helped prepare them for a two-week field experience in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Washington, D.C.

Students explored the many dimensions of public health through visits to the MN Department of Health, the Native American Community Clinic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Planned Parenthood, JustUs Health, the Environmental Justice branch of the EPA, and many other organizations. Upon their return, during winter term, students completed community-based projects by implementing the principles of community engagement they had studied and developed this exhibit.

By focusing on barriers to health that often go unrecognized, Breaking Down Barriers highlights the role of public health in identifying and reducing barriers, thus improving health at the population level.