ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. PARTNERS WITH TULANE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
New agreement will pave the way for more Black men to enter field of public health
BALTIMORE, MD – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the nation’s oldest intercollegiate fraternity for African-American college men in the United States, has entered into a five-year agreement with The Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine that will streamline the admissions process for the organization’s members.
The agreement paves the way for financially active members of the fraternity to apply and enroll in the school’s online master’s programs in areas like community health sciences, environmental health sciences, and health administration.
“Advancing educational and professional outcomes for Alpha Phi Alpha Men in the field of public health will undoubtedly improve health outcomes and resilience in the communities we serve around the world.” said Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III, General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. “Alpha Phi Alpha Men are men of distinction who have a long track record of service and advocacy for the downtrodden. The recent global pandemic and its disproportionate impact on communities of color is a great reminder of the need for more professionals of color in field of public health and we are confident that this partnership with Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine will positively impact the field and our communities.”
Under the agreement, Tulane will develop a pipeline program for undergraduate members of Alpha Phi Alpha, to prepare them for graduate and professional school, which the Fraternity will promote with its members and encourage their participation.
In addition, all application fees will be waived for financially active members of Alpha Phi Alpha. In addition, participating students will enjoy tuition discounts that will increase based on the number of fraternity members who enroll, according to the agreement.
“This is a positive step for both institutions and aligns with our school’s goal to become the most diverse school of public health in the country,” said Dr. Thomas LaVeist, dean of the school and Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity. “We are thrilled to be in partnership with such a well-respected fraternal organization.”
This exclusive partnership is the first of its kind with any National Pan-Hellenic Council organization, which represents the nine historically African American Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities, as well as any Greek-lettered organization overall.
“Diversity is not just a buzzword here,” said Dr. Alicia Battle, associate dean for online programs. “We’re not trying to check off a box to make sure we have every race and ethnicity represented. What we are trying to do is to make sure that our students and therefore our graduates represent the communities that are touched by public health every day. It makes a communities being helped after a disaster, for example, or during a pandemic. It’s also important that we have more men involved in the field because, let’s face it, men make up half the population. Men are impacted by infectious diseases and disasters and workplace safety concerns, and we need more men in the public health workforce.”
Members can learn more about the programs at publichealth.tulane.edu.
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About Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, MD, was founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. The fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, Adam Clayton Powell, Thurgood Marshall, Paul Robeson, The Honorable Andrew Young, Edward Brooke, and Dr. Cornel West. The fraternity, through its more than 720 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, serves communities in the United States, Canada, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. For more information, visit: apa1906.net and follow Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. on Twitter and Instagram @apa1906network or on LinkedIn as “Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.”
About Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
As stewards of the first school of public health in the United States, the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine cultivates independent thinkers, innovative leaders, fierce advocates, and accomplished scholars. From the neighborhoods of New Orleans to communities worldwide, we conduct research and collaborate with our partners to ensure that all of humanity has an equitable opportunity to be healthy and pursue optimal well-being. We train the problem solvers. Find us on the Front Lines.