Our Faculty
The public health faculty are active in community-engaged scholarship and draw from a wide range of disciplines.
Focus on the protection and improvement of health for individuals, communities and populations at risk for injury and disease through interdisciplinary study.
Public health prioritizes a focus on the protection and improvement of health for individuals, communities and populations at risk for injury and disease. Muhlenberg's Public Health program includes study in the natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences and humanities to educate and empower students about health-related issues from varying points of view.
Students who major in public health will gain an understanding of behavioral, economic, historical, political and social determinants of health, and of the important relationships that statistics and science have on the design of public health interventions. A core class, Issues in Public Health, introduces students to a wide variety of public health topics and includes historical perspectives, epidemiological principles and health intervention practices, health promotion and health communication and global issues of health.
The major prepares students for graduate work and professional careers in public health. Students are encouraged to participate in public health related experiences including independent research study, service learning or internships. The minor offers students flexibility to choose electives appropriate to their interests in public health that also compliment their respective majors.
The public health faculty are active in community-engaged scholarship and draw from a wide range of disciplines.
Public health students have opportunities to conduct research and pursue internships to gain invaluable field experience before graduation.
Muhlenberg's public health students have gone on to graduate study at prestigious institutions and have secured jobs within healthcare, research, nonprofits, government and more.
Public Health at Muhlenberg
“The growth and confidence I developed was the most valuable experience that I took from doing this research during undergrad. With every failed experiment, I learned to be resilient, believe in myself”— Sara Rigenbach '23 , Biochemistry and Public Health Double Major
“I think the opportunity to study public health in undergrad at a liberal arts school is still rare... Muhlenberg has really been on the cutting edge.”— Brittany Dube '17 , Specialist at the Department of Health in Stamford, Conn.
“I’m looking to deepen my passion for health and my ability to innovate and problem-solve on the issues that I care about most, which are based in community health and medicine.”— Kevan Shah '22 , Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University
As students, Sara Ringenbach ’23, Riri Yoza ’23, Paige A. Jones ’22 and Muxue Du ’21 conducted undergraduate research with Professor of Chemistry Keri Colabroy, who’s also a co-author. The research relates to enzymes that create building blocks for antibiotics.
Conducted by the Muhlenberg Institute of Public Opinion in conjunction with the Public Health Program, the report examines opinions on various health issues including the quality of health care, prevalence of opioid abuse, levels of restrictions for firearms and abortion services, levels of stress related to politics and current events, and more.
Radon, a colorless, odorless gas that’s the leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking, is prevalent in Pennsylvania buildings. Associate Professor and Director of Public Health Chrysan Cronin is the first to be awarded an EPA grant that pays for mitigation.
Student-athlete Bri Astbury ’24 took part in the Major League Baseball Take the Field program, which allowed her to make industry connections and see how her Muhlenberg education is preparing her to pursue a career in sports analytics.