Public Health, Summer 2000


Planting Shade Trees


For those of you who have visited me at the Rollins School of Public Health, you've probably noticed a framed photograph of a majestic spreading tree just outside my office door. And for those of you who h ave heard me speak about the mission of public health, you've often heard me repeat the quote that is printed under this picture: "The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit." It is a quote that has particular si gnificance for the work we do in public health and an image that has particular significance for this issue of Public Health.

This year marks two anniversaries for us: 25 years as a program and 10 years as a school. To help us present this anniversary story, we've relied on the growth of a tree as the metaphor to chronicle Emory's public health history. Our story is a family tree, one that embraces the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Morehouse, Georgia state government, CARE, the American Cancer Society, the Arthritis Foundation, and many other institutions in the Atlanta co mmunity. Talented and dedicated public health professionals at Emory joined their colleagues at these organizations to develop a new way to teach community health issues 25 years ago. The seeds they sowed fell into fertile ground.

Since our first class graduated in 1976, public health at the university has experienced organic growth from a small, community-based program within the medical school to a respected school itself, one concerned with the health of those not only in our own backyard but also in the wider world. Through challenging times of putting down roots, through spurts of growth and periods of slow and steady building, through strategic planning for the future, we've continued to grow to make significant contributi ons to public health knowledge.

Although we have much to celebrate, we aren't just looking to our past. Our school is committed to further expanding its quality and depth, to creating a shade under which the world's health can rest.

Sincerely,

James W. Curran, MD, MPH
Dean




Summer 2000 Issue | Dean's Message
The Seeds of a School | A Sapling Takes Root
New Growth | Tree of Knowledge
Class Notes
WHSC | RSPH

 


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