The Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health was founded in 1924 at Johns Hopkins University within the School of Hygiene and Public Health to promote the graduate study of public health, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the new field. It currently has approximately 20,000 members across 113 chapters at CEPH-accredited schools and programs. Learn more about Delta Omega on their website and find information about the Delta Omega chapter at the UNLV School of Public Health below.
Delta Omega Timeline
- On July 5, 2016, the UNLV School of Public Health (formerly School of Community Health Sciences) submitted its application to Delta Omega to form a chapter at UNLV, with letters of support from Dr. Francisco Sy and Dr. Chris Cochran who were current Delta Omega members from Mu Chapter at University of South Carolina School of Public Health.
- The Delta Omega Delta Theta Chapter at UNLV was approved by the Delta Omega Society Executive Committee on July 15, 2016.
- The first group of 11 members at UNLV were inducted on March 24, 2017 with Dr. Carl Hill, Director, Office of Special Populations, NIH/NIA serving as a keynote speaker.
- UNLV graduate students, Karen Callahan and Saruna Ghimire, received Delta Omega Best poster awards in Nov. 2017.
- UNLV's second group of 14 members were inducted on Dec. 8, 2017 with Dr. Leandris Liburd, Director, CDC Office of Minority Health serving as keynote speaker.
- UNLV's third group of 15 members was inducted on Dec. 7, 2018 with Dr. Joyce Hunter, Senior Advisor, NIH/NIMHD serving as keynote speaker.
- Graduate student Saruna Ghimire received the Delta Omega Best Poster Award in Nov. 2018.
- On Dec. 6, 2019, UNLV’s fourth group of 21 members was inducted with Dr. Kyu Rhee, VP and Chief Health Officer of IBM serving as keynote speaker.
- Students Karen Callahan and Brianna Rivera received the Best Poster Awards at the APHA Conference 2019 in Philadelphia.
- UNLV's fifth group of 25 members was inducted on Dec. 4, 2020 with Dr. Hazel D. Dean, Editor-In-Chief of Public Health Reports serving as keynote speaker.
- On Dec. 3, 2021, 35 members were inducted into UNLV’s sixth group with Dr. Inon Schenker, Founding Manager of the COVID-19 Impact Vaccination Initiative serving as keynote speaker.
- Graduate students Adugna Siweya and Raisa Kabir received the Best Poster Awards in Nov. 2021.
- 35 members were inducted into Delta Omega on Dec. 8, 2022. Dr. William K. Scott, Professor of Human Genetics, Neurology & Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Executive Director of the UM Brain Endowment Bank served as keynote speaker.
- Graduate students Emily Strickler and Kaelia Lynn Saniatan received the Delta Omega Best Poster Award.
The UNLV Delta Theta Chapter has a total number of 156 current members. View a full list of the Delta Theta members.
Membership & Election Process
Members are inducted through a highly-selective process that assesses their outstanding performance and devotion to the field. To maintain the credibility of this prestigious society, chapters are limited in the number of members they may induct each year. There is a one-time induction fee of $50 to join Delta Omega and that covers the person’s lifetime membership in the society.
Election to the Delta Omega Delta Theta Chapter at UNLV is done every fall by the Nominating Committee, and the national guidelines for yearly inductions are as follows:
Chapters may induct up to 20% of the graduating student body. All undergraduate and graduate student inductees must be in the upper 25% of their class academically.
Chapters may induct either five members or 3% of the full-time faculty, whichever is less. Faculty must be selected based on a review of their work in the field.
Each Chapter will have the option to induct at least 5 alumni members annually.
Each chapter may only induct one honorary member after its first induction. Honorary membership should only be conferred upon persons possessing exceptional qualifications and those who have attained meritorious distinction in the field of public health.
UNLV Delta Omega Delta Theta Chapter Executive Board
Shawn Gersterberger
President
Kavita Batra
President-Elect
Timothy Grigsby
Vice President
Bertille Mavegam Tango Assoumou
Secretary & Treasurer
Karen Callahan
Program Director
Sara Conners
Undergraduate Student Liaison
Casey Barber
Graduate Student Liaison
Glahnnia (Renee) Rates
Alumni Liaison
Contact
contact
Chapter email: delta.omega@unlv.edu
If you would like to make a donation to the Delta Omega Delta Theta Chapter at UNLV, please reach out to erika.christensen@unlv.edu or taylor.thompson@unlv.edu.