A commitment to building partnerships is part of the USF College of Public Health (COPH) philosophy, and it extends well beyond the campus. A recent grant enables the college to strengthen its connections with the Dominican Republic, fostering collaboration, education and research opportunities.
The grant − from the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic – is part of the Dominican-U.S. Higher Education Network Building Initiative. It brings together university faculty from multiple disciplines, including COPH, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, Morsani College of Medicine, USF Health International, Salud Latina and USF World. The USF delegation are working with leaders from universities in the Dominican Republic.
“It enhances our ability to address complex challenges, build research capacity, promote cross-cultural learning and exchange ideas that will benefit both USF and our partners in the Dominican Republic,’’ said Dr. Dina Martinez-Tyson, professor in the USF Department of Community Health Sciences and a specialist in applied medical anthropology and public health.
The embassy awarded the grant to Martinez-Tyson and Dr. Molly Hamm-Rodriguez, assistant professor of social foundations of education at USF, along with Dr. Manuel Colomé from the Instituto de Investigación en Salud at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo.
This funding opportunity creates networking opportunities and builds a stronger partnership between USF and universities in the Dominican Republic to enhance research and global involvement for both faculty and students. The collaboration is intended to encourage additional learning opportunities such as study abroad or Virtual Global Exchange. More than 1,500 Dominican students currently attend universities in the United States.
The project had a soft launch via a virtual meeting in early April, which drew more than 70 attendees from Dominican universities and began with a needs assessment of internationalization efforts. The official kickoff followed in May with about 40 people from various universities in deep-dive sessions hosted by the Dominican-American Cultural Institute. Discussions explored the challenges and opportunities for internationalization and collaboration.
Martinez-Tyson and Ham-Rodriguez collaborating with two COPH MPH alumni who are in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Janna Bastardo and Ms. Patricia Medina Ramirez (centered) (Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy of Santo Domingo)
"The shared vision is to strengthen academic ties between our countries in order to build a more prosperous, stronger and more connected future,’’ said Chelsia Hetrick, a spokesperson with the embassy. “We know that academic mobility not only transforms lives, it also boosts economies. This collaboration is a strategic priority for the U.S. government because we know that every U.S. student or teacher who comes to the Dominican Republic leaves a valuable footprint.’’
Martinez-Tyson and Hamm-Rodriguez traveled to the Caribbean Island last summer and met with faculty and researchers, which set the stage for the current work.
In addition to the kickoff event, Dr. Dina Martinez-Tyson and Dr. Molly Hamm-Rodriguez also presented to a group of students and parents who were interested in learning more about USF and answered questions about our programs and how to apply to USF. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy of Santo Domingo)
“I’m excited about building on our previous work there,’’ Martinez-Tyson said. “This initiative not only allows us to continue meaningful work in the Dominican Republic, but to build new collaborations for enhancing research, education and global engagement that will benefit faculty and students in both countries.’’
Working with educators on an international level, Hamm-Rodriguez said, “encourages students from all backgrounds to engage in global learning and research.’’