May 2023 CDU Newsletter
Page 6
Pathways to Health Careers Academy Culmination Ceremony Held on Campus
CDU ’ s Department of Pipeline and School Partnership Programs hosted the Pathways to Health Careers Academy ( PHCA ) Culmination Ceremony on campus .
Students in PHCA ’ s Cohort 5 successfully completed this yearlong program and accomplished a range of educationally enriching experiences , including a paid 4-week summer program , internships , mentorship , a mental health course curriculum , and college preparation courses .
Some of the programs students participated with include SHIELDS for Families , Black
Women for Wellness , Girls Club of Los Angeles , and Watts Healthcare ’ s Youth Education and Prevention Program .
“ I helped organize the SLAM Youth Summit where youth voices would be heard and they would go through informative workshops ,” said Frank Nocelotl- Jimenez , a student who interned for South Los Angeles social justice organization Community Coalition . “ I never realized the importance of public health to a community and the health disparity between different regions of Los Angeles . This program has made me want to minor in public health in a university to continue learning .”
The event was sponsored by the Department of Public Health , the Department of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control , and the Department of Mental Health .
PHCA is an enrichment program in which high school students from Service Planning Area ( SPA ) 6 and SPA 8 , who are interested in improving community health through healthcare professions develop skills to prepare them for higher education and building networks within health professions .