This year, the University of South Florida's (USF) College of Public Health (COPH) began a new tradition of implementing a "Week of Welcome" afternoon of service learning. This event was designed to encourage new COPH students to engage in a service learning activity with current public health and other USF Health students, while also introducing the students to the multidisciplinary public health topic of migrant health care. The event took place at the San José Mission, a migrant housing facility and hub of social educational and health services, in a rural, agricultural area located 20 minutes away from USF's College of Public Health.   

The service learning event was jointly organized by Ms. Ellen Kent, who coordinates the student  research grants program for COPH students and the interdisciplinary USF  Health  Service Corps program for all USF Health students, and one of the University’s long-standing community partners Sister Sara Proctor, who serves as the Program Coordinator for  Catholic  Mobile  Medical  Services.

During the service learning event, Sister Sara Proctor and other community leaders introduced the students to the key concept that public health programs and other initiatives to help migrant farm workers and their families are truly dependent upon successful partnerships between academic and community leaders in epidemiology, health education, health policy, global and environmental health, immigration law and social work, as well as other areas and disciplines. 

The students were then able to participate in one of the following service projects: clean up at the mission's health clinic; training in the use of a puppet stage and bilingual health education script; and a creative health education 'scenario.' During the latter activity, the USF students led over 40 enthusiastic children in a variety of fun interactive health education activities pertaining to staying healthy and safe on a typical school day. The students also fitted the children with free bicycle helmets. 

To further reinforce health education messages that were conveyed to the children, on the following Monday, the Mission was presented with a colorful poster including photos of the children in action, safety stickers and a pledge of  the many ways in which the children can promise to be "San José  Health and Safety  Stars."  

Ultimately, these service learning activities developed by USF and other schools of public health can serve to communicate to public health students the interdisciplinary nature of public health as well as the value of becoming involved in the community, through service, research and education.