In November, several students and professors travelled to Washington, DC for the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Annual Meeting. This conference is the largest gathering of public health professionals in the country.
Health Studies major, Fernanda Moya Quezada ’26, was recognized for Outstanding Student Work in the Advancement in Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Policy category. She gave an oral presentation entitled “Social Networks and Their Impact on Perceptions and Characteristics of Substance Use in Undergraduate College Students: Findings from Phase 1 of an Exploratory Sequential Design.” She conducted this research as part of Dr. Courtney Blondino’s independent study group along with Ella Karcewski ’26, who is double majoring in Health Studies and Biology.
Dr. Nigel James was honored with the 2025 APHA Cancer Forum Global Health Award, which is the highest award in the Global Health category. Two students who spent the summer researching with him, Julia Messerman ‘28 and Callia Nickels ’28, presented their poster entitled “Transforming Detection: Assessing the Impact of Task Shifting in Nurse-Led Breast Cancer Screening in Rural Ghana”. For this study, they collaborated with researchers at Penn State and the University of Ghana.
UR is partnering with local environmental justice nonprofit Southside ReLeaf on a community-led study of flooding on the Southside of Richmond.
Nigel James, assistant professor of health studies, along with Jada Pederson, ’27, Huong Doan, ’27, Liam Hayes, ’28, and Leah Suggs, ’27, published “Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among High School Students: Evidence from National and Virginia Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data” in the Journal of School Health.
Nigel James, assistant professor of health studies, along with Julia Messerman, ’28, and Callia Nickels, ’27, published “‘It’s Not Just Cost’: Barriers to Mammography Screening Access Among Low-income Women in the United States –– A Scoping Review” in the Journal of Cancer Prevention.
Rick Mayes, professor of health policy, published the chapter “Policy Process: Problem Identification and Agenda Setting” in Milstead's Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse's Guide.
Over the next three years, Stephanie Spera, associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, Hemali Oza, assistant professor of health studies, and Todd Lookingbill, professor of geography, environment, and sustainability and biology, will work closely with the local environmental justice nonprofit Southside ReLeaf on a community-led study of flooding on the Southside of Richmond with the support of a grant from the Jeffress Trust.
UR is partnering with local environmental justice nonprofit Southside ReLeaf on a community-led study of flooding on the Southside of Richmond.
Mailing address:
Department of Health Studies
102 Weinstein Hall
231 Richmond Way
University of Richmond, VA 23173
Phone: (804) 662-3034
Department Chair: Dr. Rick Mayes
Academic Administrative Coordinator: Stephanie Fillman