Public Health Week focuses on well-being of URI community

KINGSTON, R.I. – March 27, 2026 – A full week of health-related activities are scheduled at the University of Rhode Island from April 6-12 to celebrate National Public Health Week. Similar events will be held nationally.

Public Health Week will be hosted by the URI Department of Public Health, with support from Dean Patrick Vivier and the College of Health Sciences, the College of Pharmacy, URI Health Services, the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center at URI and other university and community partners.

Laura Kubzansky, professor of social and behavioral science at Harvard University, will present this year’s Malford Thewlis Lecture on Gerontology and Geriatrics. (Photo courtesy Harvard University)

“National Public Health Week is an opportunity to celebrate public health and its success in improving health, increasing emphasis on prevention, reducing barriers, and promoting health equity,” said Mary (Molly) Greaney, event organizer and professor of public health.

Throughout the week, a food drive to benefit Rhody Outpost will take place with donation spots in Independence Square, Suite P; Quinn Hall, Room 101; Chafee Hall, Room 301; Fogarty Hall, Room 125; and the Transition Center, 2 Lower College Road.

A free CPR training will be available to the first 30 people to register. Once participants complete the online component of the course, they will be scheduled for an in-person training at URI Health Services. To signup, email Greaney at mgreaney@uri.edu.

Monday, April 6

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – A skin cancer screening will take place in Quinn Hall. Staff from URI Health Promotion will use an interactive skin analyzer machine to teach people about skin safety and offer sunscreen samples.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Department of Nutrition will host a farmer’s market in Quinn Hall.

2 p.m. – The Exercise is Medicine Club will lead a 45-minute walk from the Memorial Union. “Walking is one of the most effective and underrated forms of physical activity,” said Leetal Young, the club’s graduate advisor from Wyckoff, New Jersey. “It supports cardiovascular health, reduces stress and anxiety, and can enhance focus and academic performance.”

6-7 p.m. – A virtual panel discussion on grant writing for public health professionals will be led by Assistant Professor Wenhui Feng. Registration is required. Panelists will include:

Reece Lyerly, Chef Ann Foundation
Margaret Read, Partnership for a Healthier America
Liz Ward, New York Health Foundation

“Practitioners and funders from the food and nutrition space will talk about the current funding landscape, crafting a compelling narrative, and navigating funder relationships,” said Feng.

Tuesday, April 7

3-4 p.m. – A suicide prevention training, called Question, Persuade, Refer, will be offered by Health Promotion via Zoom from 3-4 p.m. Registration is required.

“This gatekeeper training will help people identify concerning behaviors and give practical tools on how to help,” said Jessica Greene, assistant director of Health Promotion and Wellness.

5 p.m. – The Exercise is Medicine Club will lead a 45-minute walk from the Memorial Union.

6-7 p.m. – The Malford Thewlis Lecture on Gerontology and Geriatrics will be held in Edwards Auditorium. Presented by Harvard professor Laura Kubzansky, the topic of the presentation will be “Optimism and Kindness: Ingredients for a Long and Healthy Life.” The event is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, April 8

11-11:50 a.m. – Caitlin Nash, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Public Health, will host a virtual alumni panel on careers in public health. It will be presented by the URI Center for Career and Experiential Education.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – A brain injury prevention fair and an impaired driving booth with googles used to demonstrate the effects of alcohol and cannabis will be hosted by Health Promotion and the Department of Public Health respectively outside the Memorial Union.

1-2 p.m. – Students can learn about URI’s Master of Public Health and Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s of Public Health programs from Natalie Sabik, associate professor of public health, in Room 308 of the Memorial Union.

“Students of all majors are encouraged to learn about these public health programs,” said Greaney.

Thursday, April 9

1-2 p.m. – The College of Pharmacy will conduct a Narcan training in Room 308 of the Memorial Union. Registration is recommended.

2-3 p.m. – Natalie Sabik, associate professor of public health, will share information about URI’s Master of Public Health and Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s of Public Health programs via Zoom.

4-6 p.m. – The documentary “Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness” will be shown in Chafee Hall, Room 271. The film, which is open to the public, will be hosted by Molly Richard, assistant professor of public health. Registration is suggested.

“Homelessness is a critical public health issue, but it’s also solvable,” said Richard. “This film highlights the causes of homelessness and what’s working in communities across the country to help people access stable housing. It shows how public health skills can be applied to complex, real-world problems.”

Friday, April 10

12-3 p.m. – Health Promotion will sponsor an emergency preparedness/make a first aid kit event in the Memorial Union.

Sunday, April 12

12 p.m. – Public Health Week will conclude with A Good Deed’s Day Campus Clean Up, co-sponsored by Health Promotion and URI Hillel. Participants will meet at URI Health Services, 6 Butterfield Road.