Health Beat
January 2026
College of Health newsletter
All the news that's fit to print
We encourage you to scroll through the whole page, but if you want to skip ahead to a particular section, select from the following.
Visibility
News and stories
These stories are predominately made up from the college's alumni magazine, press releases from OSU News and Research Communications, and media mentions.
OSU student leader named 2025 National Student Veteran of the Year
Public health undergrad Nikki Gold has been named the 2025 National Student Veteran of the Year by Student Veterans of America. Selected from over 600,000 student veterans nationwide, Gold is the first openly LGBTQ+ veteran to receive this prestigious honor. As president of OSU's Student Veterans Association and LGBTQ+ veteran coordinator, Gold champions mental health initiatives and advocates for inclusive veteran spaces.
Students
Internship spotlights
See how COH students are applying classroom knowledge, building professional networks, and testing out fulfilling careers in health and well-being.
Meet all the internship spotlight students.
Nutrition - Professional dietetics, MS
Tigard Tualatin School District
MS-PD student Jennah Laxamana completed an internship with Tigard Tualatin School District, where she helped ensure USDA-compliant school meals and gained hands-on experience in school nutrition services.
Kinesiology - Pre-therapy and allied health, BS
Northwest Rehabilitation Associates
Kinesiology student Kaitie Woodard gained hands-on insight at Northwest Rehabilitation Associates, shadowing physical therapists and learning how movement, teamwork and individualized care support patient recovery.
Good News!
Good News
Our faculty, staff and students do amazing things!
They receive national, university and college honors; publish books and articles; serve on editorial boards and much more.
Did you or someone you know do something we should share? Let us know by submitting some Good News.
Brad Cardinal featured in national alumni spotlight
Brad Cardinal, professor of kinesiology, was featured in a national alumni spotlight for the Physical Activity and Public Health training course.
OSU is the first Oregon university to earn the Total Worker Health® designation
Oregon State University is the first Oregon university to earn the Total Worker Health® designation, integrating safety and well-being to support a thriving workforce.
Franziska Loetzner named assistant professor of kinesiology at Indiana University
Postdoctoral scholar Franziska Loetzner has accepted a tenure-track assistant professor position in kinesiology at Indiana University Indianapolis, beginning March 1.
Tao Li publishes three papers in Journal of Athletic Training special issue
Tao Li's study on ACL injury prevention ROI is featured in a special Journal of Athletic Training issue, showing prevention programs save $7 for every $1 invested while reducing injuries by 50%.
Alum is leading advocacy run for health equity
OSU alum Dennis Godby completes Walk USA for Health Equity, a nationwide effort to spotlight preventable health disparities.
Ken Cameron, ’93, receives national research medal in athletic training
Ken Cameron, ’93, received the NATA Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research, recognizing his sustained contributions to the field.
College team effort supports rural hospital and student success
OSU faculty, students and alumni teamed up to help North Lincoln Hospital improve Medicare reimbursement — a $300,000 potential impact.
Jessica Gorman named Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine
Jessica Gorman was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, honoring her leadership and contributions to research, mentorship and service.
Center for Global Health partners with Mahalapye District Council, Botswana
The Center for Global Health signed a five‑year collaboration with Botswana’s Mahalapye District Council to expand teaching, research and sustainable community engagement—an impact win that advances CGH’s mission to turn strong research into practice and policy.
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Nikki Gold named National Student Veteran of the Year
Public health student and U.S. Navy veteran Nikki Gold was named the 2025 National Student Veteran of the Year.
MPH alumnus Chris McFarland featured for mental health work in Benton County
MPH alumnus Chris McFarland was featured in The Corvallis Advocate for his work as a certified counselor with Benton County Behavioral Health and his impactful journey to community mental health service.
Research
Publications
Check out the recent publications from researchers across the college over the past month. See if you can guess the researcher(s) based solely on publication titles:
Does a cancer patient's personality affect how well their heart handles stress? And does their spousal caregiver's personality affect their heart too?
Does receiving care coordination services actually make Veterans feel like their healthcare is better connected and organized?
Can the antibodies in a mother's breast milk help protect her baby from developing allergies?
Can a web-based educational care plan help young breast cancer survivors who haven't had children feel less worried about their fertility and pregnancy options, and actually get them to seek help from fertility specialists?
How well do the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines work, and how long does that protection last?
How are women with PMS/PMDD or perimenopausal depression being treated by the healthcare system? And if they're having bad experiences with their doctors, does that make their mental health worse?
Winter term 2026 seminars
Fridays, noon to 1 p.m.
February 13
Center for Global Health: Innovation, Impact, and Opportunities
Presented by Sunil Khanna, Director Center for Global Health and Courtney Jost, Instructor and IMPACT Program Coordinator.
Watch via Zoom.
February 27
Food For Thought: Understanding Older Adult Food Insecurity
Presented by Colleen Heflin, Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs, Syracuse University.
Watch via Zoom.
March 13
Igniting the Next Chapter: ASPIRE Pilots, Priorities, and Pathways Forward
Presented by Ignite Presenters and Past Awardees.
This session is designed for faculty, researchers, students, practitioners, and partners who are interested in contributing to ASPIRE’s future research, programs, and translational activities.
Watch via Zoom.
Events
Mark your calendars!
May 20 Bray Health Leadership Lecture
Is Healthcare in a Period of Crisis, Chaos or Transformation? Where do Opportunities Exist?
Robin Richardson drives enterprise-wide innovation, Medicaid strategy, and value-based care transformation and oversees key initiatives that position Moda at the forefront of integrated healthcare delivery. This includes leading Coordinated Care Organizations (EOCCO and OHSU IDS) and strategic partnerships with major state accounts.
Bonus!
ASPIRE Children's Environmental Health Center
January is National Radon Action Month!
January 2026
- Green New Year
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It's not too late for an EDC-free New Year
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ASPIRE Library Explorers Discovery Guide: January Edition
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What we are looking forward to!
Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC)
OPEC publishes useful information for families, caregivers, and professionals who support children and families.