In the Community
Connect with Communities Everywhere
You'll work alongside local leaders and public health advocates to expand access to essential health resources and improve lives—whether in Atlanta, across the Southeast, or in places like Brazil, Nepal, or Ethiopia.
Right Here in Atlanta
Atlanta puts you at the center of public health. Work alongside experts at the Carter Center, the Task Force for Global Health, or the Georgia Department of Public Health. Beyond your practicum work, volunteer to lead health workshops at neighborhood centers or join hundreds of students for our annual Rollins-Teer Day.
Feeding Atlanta’s Communities
“Atlanta [has] great organizations working in urban agriculture to support food insecure populations,” says Nichole Fields-Kyle, MPH20, who volunteered with Concrete Jungle, a non-profit that transforms underutilized fruit trees and land into community food sources.
Fields-Kyle developed community cooking demonstrations with Concrete Jungle’s locally grown produce. After graduation, she landed her first job with the organization.
Across the State
Partner with regional health departments and community groups across Georgia and around the region to help communities improve maternal and child health, prevent chronic disease, and address environmental and infectious health issues.
Responding to Concerns
“Knowledge is power,” said Judy Peterson, a local participating in a Rollins study looking at exposure to forever chemicals in Rome, GA. Rollins researchers test residents to determine if their higher-than-average levels are dangerous and hopefully to learn their cause. “For us, [the goals were] being responsive to their concerns, listening to their guidance, and incorporating [it] into our approach,” says Melanie Pearson, PhD, associate research professor of environmental health. “This community really wanted this work done because they had a lot of concerns about whether they were exposed to PFAS.”
Pearson and colleagues responded to the community’s desire to evaluate their PFAS levels and to understand what exposure means for their health.
Community Outreach Beyond Borders
Take your passion for public health worldwide through Rollins' global programs. You'll work hand-in-hand with communities around the world to help improve people’s lives. Whether you're helping design vaccination programs in India or working on teen health education in Kenya, you'll learn what it takes to make change in a global context.
Fighting Disease in Brazil Together
Santino Diaz Palma (MPH ‘25) worked alongside Brazilian families and health workers to understand how water access affects leprosy in their communities. His approach combined local knowledge with public health research.
Rollins’ Global Field Experience Award opened doors for Palma to serve communities in both Kenya and Brazil.
Ready to Move Forward?
We are the #2 school of public health in the nation on a mission to move public health forward—join us.