HERSHEY, Pa. — For the second year in a row, a team of Penn State students will participate in the International Emory Global Health Case Competition in Atlanta.
This year’s team will compete in the annual event at Emory University on March 15 and 16. The top-ranking group, out of 30, will be awarded a cash prize.
The case competition requires students to help solve existing or emerging public health crises.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity for Penn State students to participate in this global health case competition again this year,” said Kristin Sznajder, assistant professor of public health sciences and associate director of international initiatives at Penn State College of Medicine, who mentors the team. “It is a fantastic opportunity for our students to apply knowledge from their professional area and their skills in problem-solving to meaningful global health challenges.”
Members of this year’s team include Gabrielle Gundermann, Taylor Beth Haddad, Ryan Kingshill, Sarah Peiffer, Paddy Ssentongo and Yanxu Yang. The group has diverse background in public health, medicine, biobehavioral health, law and epidemiology. The students are enrolled in a range of degree programs at Penn State’s University Park, Hershey and Dickinson Law campuses.
“It is like asking students to conduct a lot of research, then encouraging them to throw everything they learn away so a real-world solution can take shape,” said Wenke Hwang, associate professor and director of the Master of Public Health Program at the College of Medicine. “I can’t think of any other learning modality that is more intensive and exciting than the case competition. I am particularly pleased to see three Penn State campuses come together to form and support this team.”