Harvard School of Public Health Graduates Receive Candid Feedback on Trump: Insights and Reactions

Less than a week after major funding cuts hit the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a convocation ceremony took place. Over 130 researchers received grant-termination notices, leaving the community shaken but resilient.

Dean Andrea Baccarelli opened the event with a powerful message. He acknowledged how the government’s role in public health has shifted dramatically. Yet, he emphasized that the core values of health and science still stand strong. “Every human being deserves good health,” he reminded graduates.

Student speaker Muhammad Jawad Noon shared a poignant story from his time in Pakistan. He recounted the tragic scene of a bomb explosion where he witnessed a mother cradling her dead child. In the chaos, a little girl asked him for help. “That moment shattered something in me,” he said. “Medicine can heal, but what about the systems that failed her?” His story highlighted the urgent need for better public health systems worldwide.

He urged his classmates to persevere despite the challenges ahead. “Many current victories seemed impossible at first,” he said, mentioning advancements like smallpox eradication. “Remember those dreams; they became reality through persistence.”

Keynote speaker Céline Gounder, a professor at NYU and an editor at KFF Health News, sounded the alarm on threats to public health. She criticized the Trump administration for undermining institutions that safeguard public health, emphasizing growing threats from misinformation. “We are seeing attacks on the scientific process,” she noted.

Gounder underscored the importance of vaccines, which have saved millions of lives over the years. Yet, she pointed to a disturbing trend: a Gallup poll found that one in five Americans now believe vaccines might be more dangerous than the diseases they prevent. This highlights the urgent need to restore trust in public health messaging.

She also highlighted the administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization and efforts to freeze essential research funding. “When you break trust in public health, it’s hard to rebuild,” she warned.

Gounder encouraged graduates to step out of the shadows and make their voices heard in their communities. Public health professionals must explain their work and its significance to the public.

The challenges facing international students were also addressed. With recent policies affecting foreign enrollment, Harvard’s diverse student body at HSPH became a focal point of concern. Baccarelli praised this diversity, stating it enriches the academic community.

In a touching tribute, graduates recited the preamble to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in various languages, showcasing their unity in diversity.

As they embark on their careers, these graduates are stepping into a world of complex challenges, yet they carry the hope of creating a healthier future for all. Their journey is more crucial now than ever.



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