Kennesaw State public health students win gold designation at national competition
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Kennesaw State public health students win gold designation at national competition
Kennesaw State public health students win gold designation at national competition. Team was tasked with designing a public health education program to increase screening rates for sexually transmitted infections. Teams could present virtually or in-person at the SOPHE conference in Long Beach, California. KSU’s public health program will gain renown for this honor, says associate professor of public health and director of the program LaNita Wright.“It was more than just an academic challenge; it was a real test of our ability to think like public health professionals,” says Liz Burchfield, a recent public health graduate and member of the KSU public health team.‘We were just over the moon,’ says Angel Fortmann, who helped shape the final presentation. “Though we had never done anything like this, our talents definitely showed, and we loved representing KSU,“ says Allisa George, who also was part of the team.
KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 24, 2025
Allisa George A team of students in Kennesaw State University’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services recently won national recognition at the Society for Public Health Education’s (SOPHE) National Case Study Competition in Health Education.
Recent public health graduate Liz Burchfield teamed with public health students Angel Fortmann and Allisa George to earn a gold designation, one of six universities nationwide to receive this accolade. Associate professor of public health and director of the public health program LaNita Wright advised the trio.
“The competition aspect is secondary, because I just wanted them to gain practical experience and apply what they’d learned in the classroom to a real-life situation,” she said. “KSU has never competed in this event, so we wanted our first team to gain experience and provide advice to future teams so they could prepare for future competitions. To win is a sweet bonus and testament to the students’ dedication.”
Liz Burchfield Each participant was tasked with designing a public health education program to increase screening rates for sexually transmitted infections based on a case study in Long Beach, California. Teams received instructions two weeks before they were expected to present their programs, and in those two weeks assembled and interpreted data on STIs, wrote scripts and reports, and then merged it all into a presentation.
Wright selected the three students based on their achievements in public health classes and attentiveness to detail in their classwork. George said she found the competition an enriching enterprise that helped bring to bear the lessons learned in class.
“The SOPHE National Case Study Competition was more than just an academic challenge; it was a real test of our ability to think like public health professionals. It was intense, meaningful, and incredibly rewarding,” she said. “What made it especially powerful was knowing our ideas had the potential to address real health disparities.”
Teams could present virtually or in-person at the SOPHE conference in Long Beach, and KSU’s team presented virtually. Burchfield said the 15-minute presentations had to be text-only slides with no graphics. Slides addressed the public, priority population, needs assessments, budget, and hypothetical plans to back up the solution to the problem.
“It was kind of like a TV pitch for a health solution and community programs,” Burchfield said. “I appreciate Dr. Wright selecting me for this opportunity, and it’s an experience I’m very thankful for.”
Angel Fortmann Each member had a role. Burchfield had experience in research, so she guided data collection and factfinding. George took the lead on analyzing social determinants of health, researching best practices, and drafting measurable objectives. She also co-developed the logic model and helped shape the final presentation. Fortmann created the presentation’s design.
Fortmann said she and Burchfield were waiting for the results online when they received the news.
“We were just over the moon,” Fortmann said. “Even in preparing for it we knew we had a strong presentation. Though we had never done anything like this, our talents definitely showed, and we loved representing KSU.”
Wright was at the SOPHE conference and said KSU’s public health program will gain renown for this honor.
“When one of the judges saw KSU on my badge, the judge said the students’ presentation was outstanding,” Wright said. “Coming from a professional in the field, that was amazing to hear. Our students did their best, and our program at KSU is gaining national recognition.”
– Story by Dave Shelles
Photos by Matt Yung and provided
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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.