Department of Health Studies

Health Studies Students and Faculty attend Richmond Forum

Several students and professors from UR’s Department of Health Studies attended the Richmond Forum presentation by Dr. Anthony Fauci in March 2024. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), spoke about his desire from a young age to serve the greater good; his infectious disease research; and his decades-long career in government service.

The students were thrilled to be able to spend an evening with one of the most recognizable figures in public health. Matthew Karen ’24 was pleased that Fauci’s speech “affirmed the knowledge and values [he’d] gained from Health Studies courses.” Ella Karcewski ’26 appreciated Fauci’s emphasis on inequalities in health care both within the U.S. and internationally, explaining that “people are suffering disproportionately, and that is a dominant public health issue we need to address as future leaders in public health.” Ariana Sosa ’24 was encouraged by the audience’s expressions of support for public health action.

In addition to meeting Fauci, the students enjoyed sharing this experience with their professors. Evan Wolff ’24 thought this was a wonderful opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom and engage in powerful discussion after listening to a leader in the field noting that his favorite part of the evening was “debriefing after the talk with my professors and gaining new context for Dr. Fauci’s talking points.”