This spring, Kent State's College of Public Health will virtually host students from Akron Public Schools (APS) as the complete college coursework required for community health worker (CHW) certification. This effort, funded by United Way of Summit & Medina, allows students to enroll in six hours of College Credit Plus (CCP) coursework, be exposed to public health careers, and receive twice monthly wraparound programs focused on soft skills, ACT prep, mental health and other topics.
"We are grateful for the foresight of the United Way to see the need to train community health workers and we look forward to the impact they will make on our community," said Sonia Alemagno, dean of the College of Public Health. "The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need for a highly-trained public health workforce."
Once coursework is completed, an additional required prerequisite for CHW certification is completion of an internship experience. Akron Public Schools students in this program will have the opportunity to complete their internship experience with Akron Children's Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and Summa Health. In 2021, the College of Public Health piloted CHW training with APS's Buchtel CLC with their academy partner, Summa Health.
According to Sonya Williams, executive director of the Office of University Outreach and Engagement at Kent State, students from Buchtel, Kenmore Garfield, North, and NIHF STEM high schools will be part of the Rising Public Health Leaders Pathways program. A dedicated APS staff member in each school will serve as school liaison ensuring the successful completion of CCP courses.
According to Williams, Kent State and APS share a long history. "During our partnership with the College and Career Academies of Akron, Kent State has participated in yearly APS Career Expos, hosted on-campus professional networking experiences for APS students and industry professionals, and facilitated yearly field trips for APS students to visit/tour the affiliated businesses of KSU alumni." Williams continued, "We look forward to further expanding our partnership with this innovative program."
The College of Public Health engages with business professionals to give students applied learning opportunities, and to provide faculty opportunities for collaboration on research and community service. Currently, the college has formal agreements with more than 200 community-based organizations.
"United Way is proud to play a role in the collaboration between Kent State University and Akron Public Schools," said Vish Bhatt, vice president of Community Impact at United Way of Summit & Medina. "This valuable training and college credits will help students get a head start on a rewarding career with a lasting positive impact on our community."