What is COMCOR?
COMCOR is the Communications and Coordination team at UVA’s Center for Global Health. We are a team of students who support CGH initiatives, provide outreach and promote awareness of Global Health on Grounds, and work collaboratively with the Center for Global Health Student Advisory Board. As student staff, our role and perspective helps to shape student focused programming.
What We Do
We are student staff at the Center for Global Health, responsible for supporting CGH-sponsored events and speakers and working collaboratively with the CGH Student Advisory Board in event planning and execution. We raise awareness of Global Health on Grounds via marketing of multiple events and opportunities, build connections among students and faculty, and engaging in student community outreach. We also provide technical assistance to the various scholarly awards that CGH awards throughout the year. We are responsible for creating and sending out a weekly newsletter which disseminates information on all global health events around Grounds. One of the largest events we support, in coordination with the CGH-SAB, is the Global Health Case Competition, which is a major CGH annual event.
Meet the COMCOR Team
Name: Sarah Romanus
Major/Year: Global Development Studies, Class of 2018
Involvement on Grounds: Alpha Phi Omega gender-inclusive service fraternity and Sustained Dialogue
Why are you involved with CGH and global health in general?
In my first year at UVA, I took medical anthropology which explores the way in which people experience illness. I was fascinated by the various interpretations of illness depending on the person and their cultural backgrounds. It reinforced how important it is to be aware of varying experiences when addressing an issue such as public health. In a global context, this means understanding social determinants of health, and how health can be embodied in many ways. I found CGH during my second year and started attending their events. I was excited to meet people who were interested in the events CGH puts on to continue health dialogues on grounds.
What are your plans post-graduation?
Next year, I will be taking a gap year abroad spending time in both New Zealand and India. Ultimately, I would like to return to the U.S. and work in mental health with the youth population. I am not sure in what capacity this will be; however I do know I am interested in the beginning stages of mental health issues and how adults such as teachers and coaches contribute to its prevention. I am potentially interested in teaching upon my return.
Name: Mavra Masood
Major/Year: Global Public Health, Class of 2018
Involvement on Grounds: Peer Health Education
Why are you involved with CGH and global health in general?
As a global public health major, I have always been interested in exploring relevant public health issues such as maternal mortality and inequities but in a global context. In 2017, I was awarded the CGH University Scholar Award to complete an internship in Morocco with the Near East Foundation. That highly engaging and moving experience of living and working on a development project abroad only furthered my passion in pursuing public health work and as a result, I continued to attend CGH events. Every event at CGH has only broadened my knowledge and has increased my curiosity towards exploring solutions to major health inequities worldwide
What are your plans post-graduation?
I will be attending the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One day, I hope to be a physician who works on implementing community-based public health interventions with vulnerable communities in the US and abroad.