WASHINGTON, D. C., – The Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) is proud to announce that Raphael Adesiyan and Sophia Garbarino will be awarded the 21st Century Student Scholarships during the 2025 Annual Conference in Long Beach, April 16-18.
“I am truly honored to be a recipient of this prestigious SOPHE 21st Century Student Scholarship,” said Adesiyan, a doctoral candidate in Health Promotion at the University of Kentucky. “Receiving this award is a tremendous milestone in my personal and professional career. It inspires me to continue striving for excellence in improving the health and well-being of populations through preventive measures and health education.”
“It means someone else saw as much potential in me as I see in myself,” said Garbarino, a PhD student and Laney Fellow in the Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences at Emory University. “It also means others understand the importance of my public health education goals. This scholarship emphasizes the value of community and networking, which are so important for students like me.”
The scholarships provide financial support to full-time undergraduate and graduate students to attend SOPHE’s Annual Conference or Advocacy Summit.
“This award embodies the core values that drive my work: a commitment to evidence-based research, a passion for health education, and a dedication to empowering youth,” Adesiyan said.
His research focuses on tobacco and e-cigarette prevention among youth, particularly in African American communities. He has conducted comprehensive literature reviews, presented at esteemed research conferences, and developed evaluation tools for innovative media-based prevention campaigns. “My mission is to equip youth with the knowledge they need to make informed health decisions.”
Garbarino’s work focuses on leveraging mixed methods, implementation and behavioral sciences, and education to improve family planning services delivery and equity in the United States. “Like many public health researchers, I strongly value multisectoral community,” she said. “Public health education is necessarily interdisciplinary and diverse, especially when prioritizing health equity. Conferences like this foster connections and opportunities that might not have been available otherwise.”
She has research experience spanning contraception, trauma-informed care, social connectivity, maternal mortality, and clinical psychology. Garbarino is also a Certified Health Education Specialist and holds an MPH from Emory University with a Certificate in Maternal and Child Health.
Both Adesiyan and Garbarino embody this scholarship as leaders committed to advancing public health education and equity.
“Being part of this initiative is both inspiring and humbling, as it reflects a shared commitment to addressing public health challenges through education and research,” Adesiyan said.
SOPHE will present all awards and scholarships to public health professionals, health education researchers, faculty, programs, and practitioners at the 2025 SOPHE Annual Conference. These awards and scholarships recognize significant advancements in the profession of health education and health promotion and outstanding contributions of veterans and rising stars to improving the public’s health.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit association that supports leaders in public health, health education, and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE members work in health care settings, communities, organizations, schools, universities, worksites, and in local, state, and federal government agencies. For more information visit www.sophe.org.