Celebrating 112 years! 112 Amazing Things about the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University

Section One: The School (1-27)

1. We were the first school of public health in the U.S., established in 1912.

2. We are the only combined school of public health and tropical medicine in the United States.

3.

Tulane as a university was founded to address public health issues including malaria, yellow fever, smallpox, and cholera.

4. The first formal course in hygiene was taught at Tulane all the way back in 1881.

5. Tulane’s Stanford Chaillé was known as the “Father of Hygiene and Health Education.”

6. Tropical Medicine Professor Charles Bass, who developed a process to culture malaria in vitro in 1912, is known as the “Father of Preventive Dentistry” for the “Bass Technique of Toothbrushing.”

7.

Dr. Isadore Dyer, who was once a dean of the school, helped to establish the National Leprosarium at Carville. He was one of the few at the time who didn’t believe that Hansen’s Disease was “hopeless.”

8. Professor Ernest Carroll Faust published the first textbook on helminthology in 1929.

9.

The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine had the first female dean of a school of public health – Grace Goldsmith, a leader in nutrition and dietary disease.

10.

The school is named after benefactor Celia Scott Weatherhead, a graduate of Tulane University’s Newcomb College and supporter of public health. The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine joins the A. B. Freeman School of Business as the only named entities among Tulane’s 10 schools and colleges.

11.

The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University has received the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine for two straight years.

This national honor recognizes U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

12.

Fifty years ago, our school was one of the first schools to offer a combined MD/MPH program, and it’s one of the largest such programs today.

13. The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University is a top producer of Peace Corps volunteers, annually ranking at or near the top of that organization's participants.

14. Ours is the only school of public health designated by the American Society for Microbiology as a Milestones in Microbiology site.

15.

99% of graduates are working, volunteering, or continuing education within one year of graduation, a higher percentage than the average rate among all schools of public health.

16.

The MHA program was among the first programs in health administration and in 2019 celebrated its 50th anniversary.

17.

The 50th class of Dietetic Interns graduated in 2023.

Find out more about the Dietetic Internship program!

Bogalusa Heart Study
18. The school’s Bogalusa Heart Study, one of the longest on-going studies of a biracial, semi-rural community in the South, has celebrated its 50th anniversary.

What's next for this groundbreaking study? Find out.

19. The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University has been accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health since 1947.

20.

We were one of the first schools of public health to offer a BSPH.

21.

Researchers at our school were among the first to receive federal funding for gun violence research after a decades-long ban.

22.

The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University was the first school to offer online programs in public health, starting in 1994.

23. We have a long history of attracting international students with a vibrant community of scholars. Regularly, students from around two dozen different countries attend the school.

24. We also have students from most U.S. states.

25. Ours is the most diverse school among Tulane’s ten schools and colleges.

26.

The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University offers numerous ways for students to make an impact on school culture and decision-making, including the Student Government Association, the Ambassador program, and the new Student Council, which works directly with Dean LaVeist.

27.

We have a strong commitment to social entrepreneurship, often aided by the university’s Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking.

Section Two: Academics (28-54)

28. The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.

29.

We offer both in-person and online programs.

30.

Don’t have time for a full degree program? Our school offers four graduate certificates (in environmental health), a diploma course in tropical medicine, and a dietetic internship.

31. Dean Thomas A. LaVeist is a major voice on the topic of health equity. Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.

32.

Our nutrition faculty have been studying the link between diet and climate change.

33.

Tulane has been a leader in the research and public information space on COVID-19.

34.

We are also a leader in research on maternal and child health.

35. Our online program features the same instructors and instruction that in-person students get.

36. Tulane was a leader in COVID response among university campuses.

37. We have a strong research-active faculty with a range of expertise across public health disciplines.

38.

A rare dedication and availability of the staff and faculty to students.

39.

Diversified research portfolio with funding from a variety of federal agencies (e.g., CDC, NIH, and USAID) and private foundations (e.g., Gates Foundation).

40.

Well-established major research programs in key public health areas: global health; cardiovascular epidemiology; genetics and molecular biology; prevention research; disaster management; evaluation and effectiveness research; health equity; and health administration.

41. Long-term research programs in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

42.

A steadily growing undergraduate BSPH program; the curriculum is strengthened with undergraduate core courses ... and it's now the second largest undergraduate major at Tulane!

43.

There is a place for everyone: student groups focused on sexual health, Latin American health, doctoral students, health management students, and many, many more.

44. A travel fund (the Penny Jessop Travel Fund) that aids students international travel.

45.

Conference attendance funding for students through the Student Government Association.

46. We were the seventh Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society chapter (the Eta Chapter), established in 1950.

47.

Faculty are not only experts, but accessible to students and support student learning.

48. Interdisciplinary learning.

49.

Lots of opportunities for professional development.

50. Faculty are supportive of student research projects.

51. We have one of the largest, most far-reaching alumni networks which gives students access to practicum opportunities.

52.

A comprehensive communication network.

53. A student community that stands out for being capable, supportive, and diverse.

54.

With more than 30 different degree programs, you can chart the path most suited to you at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University. We offer add-on certificate programs, too!

Section Three: Perks (55-74)

55. The Tidewater Building, which houses the school, has its own unique story, which includes two “secret” floors only accessible from the 24th floor and the antenna and transmitter for famous New Orleans radio station WWOZ 90.7 FM.

56.

Our school doesn’t just have Career Services – we have a whole Career Studio, offering One-on-One Career Coaching, Resume and Cover Letter Review, On Campus Employment Information Sessions, Mock Interviewing, a dedicated Interview Room for students to interview virtually, Tulane Connect (an alumni and student engagement platform), Career Preparation Workshops, Tailored Public Health Career Resource Guides, Handshake (a Career Platform for jobs, internships, and fellowships), and more!

57.

Tidewater is located a few blocks from historic Storyville, formerly a “red light” district in New Orleans but perhaps more well-known for producing a string of famous musicians, including Louis Armstrong.

58. It doesn’t get cold here ... and you don’t have to shovel heat!

59. Mardi Gras.

60. You get to second line when you graduate.

61. Tulane’s downtown campus includes access to a state-of-the-art gym, the medical school, and several great restaurants and entertainment venues.

62.

The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University is slated to move into the completely renovated, state-of-the-art former Charity Hospital building as its largest tenant.

63.

A ridiculously accomplished collection of alumni, including CDC Deputy Director Debra Houry, Hospital Association of America president Chip Kahn, and Hanan al-Ahmahdi, Shura Council member and assistant speaker of the Saudi Arabian Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia.

64. We offer a student food pantry addressing food insecurity.

65. Downtown gym facilities are FREE to students.

66. Shuttle services between campuses and to malls, grocery stores, etc.

67.

Compared to peers, tuition for the MPH makes it one of the most affordable programs around.

68. A dedicated, competent staff who are proud to be here and willing to go the extra mile.

69. Venerated legacy and status as a founding school of public health.

70. “The Tulane Mafia:” a strong network of faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who support one another and promote public health across the globe. A mafia for good!

71. A beautiful and dramatic view of the Mississippi river.
72. A commitment to student wellness from a wholistic perspective.

73.

Bike rack room dedicated to those that want to ride their bikes to the building to get more exercise and/or create less CO2 emissions.

74.

An international flair after graduation: Many of our graduates land in different cities, states and countries, including locations like Australia, Singapore, China, and Grenada, just to name a few.

Section Four: The City (75-89)

75. EVERYTHING New Orleans.

76. The food of New Orleans.
77. The music of New Orleans.

78.

The people of New Orleans.

79. No. 3 best college city per U.S. News.

80.

New Orleans’ significant history of death and disease for history/public health buffs.

81.

Located in a community both rich in culture and rife with public health problems.

82.

“America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.”

~Tennessee Williams

83. Opportunities to make a difference in the city and in the world of environmental health.

84.

“There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.”

~ Bob Dylan

85. New Orleans is the 5th most sung about city in the US.

86.

There is always a festival to attend in New Orleans (including French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest, Fried Chicken Festival and many more).

87.

New Orleans throws parties like no other … even outside of Mardi Gras (like the Krewe of Boo and St Patrick’s Day parades). There's ALWAYS something going on.

88.

Our downtown campus is located conveniently down the street from the historic and internationally known French Quarter and is also a short walk from the Superdome where the New Orleans Saints play and Smoothie King Center where the New Orleans Pelicans play.

89.

“There is no other place on earth even remotely like New Orleans. Don’t even try to compare it to anywhere else.”

~ Anthony Bourdain

Section Five: The Region (90-98)

90. On the frontlines, literally, of the impact of global warming on public health.
91. We are situated in a diverse community representing an opportunity for people from all walks of life to feel as though they fit in to a multicultural, diverse community where their talents and identities are celebrated.

92. Tropical climate = excellent location to study tropical disease.

93.

An excellent location to study nutrition – how do some of the most flavorful dishes in the area impact health?

94. The challenges in Louisiana represent an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve … in other words, it's a place to identify problems, foster innovation, and make an impact.

95. An active student community volunteering in a variety of capacities across the city and state.

96.

“To love a swamp, however, is to love what is muted and marginal, what exists in the shadows, what shoulders its way out of mud and scurries along the damp edges of what is most commonly praised. And sometimes its invisibility is a blessing. Swamps and bogs are places of transition and wild growth, breeding grounds, experimental labs where organisms and ideas have the luxury of being out of the spotlight, where the imagination can mutate and mate, send tendrils into and out of the water.”

~ Barbara Hurd, Stirring the Mud: On Swamps, Bogs, and Human Imagination

97.

A high volume of community-based research. The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University routinely works with local agencies and non-profits to address local challenges.

98. A wide range of ecological environments within a drive’s distance.

Section Six: The University (99-112)

99. Tulane is consistently in the Top 20 for happiest students and in 2022 was named No. 1 per Princeton Review.

100. Member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) since 1958 and is classified R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity.

101. Tulane has made equity, diversity, and inclusion a top priority with the university’s Strategy for Tomorrow (following the Plan for Today).

102.

Crawfest, the largest student-run festival in the country.

103.

Tulane is home to the New Orleans Book Festival, which almost always features speakers and authors from the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University.

104. The university comes in at No. 5 in U.S. News polling for service learning, an educational experience that combines academic knowledge with critical thinking skills to address community needs.

105. The No. 12 most loved university per Princeton Review. No. 15 among students who are most politically active.

106.

No. 42 among best national universities per U.S. News.

107.

Tulane is No. 34 in "most innovative schools" per U.S. News.

108.

Our university has a low faculty to student ratio.

109. Cross-departmental collaboration.

110.

The school color: Green is the color of love and the color of peace.

111.

Sports! Tulane has several teams with sustained historical success. The football team has won at least nine games for three straight seasons.

112. And students get in free to athletic events.

Created By
Tara Brown and David Gladow