Dean's Message

As reflected in our vision statement , we believe that we offer a definably different approach to the educational process.  Our vision is to be:

“A school of choice for students who want an exceptional educational experience in a world-class environment.”  

There are three parts of this vision statement that are important to potential students:

1)      We are focused, first and foremost, on students.

2)      We are committed not just to an exceptional education, but to the entire experience students have while they are with us.

3)      For us, “world-class environment” has three meanings:

a.      The incredible region in which we live.

b.     Our commitment to advancing research and scholarship.

c.      How we treat each other.

To those ends. . .

We are student centered.

We are deeply committed to assuring the quality of the student experience.

We have developed a novel approach to incentivize and reward outstanding teaching .  Five times, in the past fourteen years, one of our faculty members has won the University-wide award for outstanding teaching.  Additionally, in 2025, one of our faculty was recognized as THE outstanding public health faculty member in the entire country.

We are also committed to assuring that our graduates have both the knowledge and the practical skills that they need for success in the workforce, including a strong commitment to field experiences.  In 2017, we became only the third school of public health in the country to win the Delta Omega Award for innovative curriculum more than once.  

I am particularly proud of our professional advisors, and our many faculty mentors, who work closely with each student to assure a seamless progression from applicant to graduate.

The size of our program facilitates a high level of student-faculty interaction and enhances hands-on involvement with research projects and community service.

We are community focused.

Starting with a minor in health in the 1930s, and a bachelor’s degree in health education in 1955; hosting the nation’s oldest EHAC-accredited environmental health program; and becoming the first accredited school of public health in Tennessee and in Central Appalachia, the College has a long history of addressing the health challenges of the people living in rural areas, especially those in Central Appalachia.  This  commitment was recognized with the receipt of the 2024 Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service, and the 2018 receipt of the United States Public Health Services Public Health Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration.  In addition to our many research centers, the College also houses the editorship of the Journal of Appalachian Health.  The College is proud to have played a major role in the University’s earning the Carnegie Foundation's Community Engagement Classification, the national recognition for outstanding community engagement.

We are real-world tested.

We have a very strong commitment to ensuring that our programs prepare students for the current and future job markets.  We regularly survey alumni, preceptors, our Advisory Board , and employes to be sure that our curricula align with evolving trends in the marketplace.  We also explore the need for new or different degree programs to assure that our graduates are ready for the workforce.

We are proud that:

• Over the last 11 years, with almost 1300 students reporting, almost 99% would recommend the College.
• Over the last 10 years, with about 600 alumni reporting, almost 96% were satisfied or very satisfied with their educational experience.
• Over the last 10 years, with almost 270 employers reporting, over 93% rate our students as high or highest in overall competency in their field of study.
• Over a five-year period, of the 87 graduates with a degree in Biomedical Health Sciences who applied to Medical School, over 70%have been accepted. 
• Over the past five years, 99.8% of graduates (from all degree programs) report being employed or continuing education within a year of graduating.
• In the past decade, we have had applicants from 65 countries and 48 states.

There has never been a more important time to address the public health challenges of the region, the nation, or the world. I applaud you for your commitment to improving the health and the lives of others, and I wish you the very best for the future.

If you have any questions, please give us a call, or, better yet, pay us a visit.

Best wishes,

Randy Wykoff, MD, MPH &TM

Dean, College of Public Health