By Brandon Cortés
Features Editor
Tables filled with orange-and-black goodie bags lined the Adanti Student Center plaza as members of the Public Health Society handed out treats and an important message.
The club’s Halloween-themed Boo Bags event mixed candy and health facts to promote safe practices and awareness.
The event public health major Gracen Shippy, a senior and the president of the Public Health Society, said, was designed to spread awareness while keeping the tone approachable and fun.
“This is our Boo Bags event,” Shippy said. “What’s in them are candy, condoms and a fun fact about health. It’s just to help prevent the spread of STIs and help people stay safe on Halloween because it’s a big weekend, and we want everyone to have fun responsibly.”
Shippy, who transferred to the university after switching her major from nursing to public health, said she wanted to bring the club’s outreach to life through events that combine education and engagement.
For Shippy and other club members, public health is not just about treatment — it is about prevention and connection.
“I realized that nursing wasn’t for me,” Shippy said. “I wanted to work more with community members and focus on preventative health rather than helping people after they get sick. I’d rather prevent the illness first.”
Under Shippy’s leadership, the club has grown in both membership and visibility. She said that while public health is still a smaller major on campus, events like Boo Bags help students understand what the field actually involves: protecting communities, promoting wellness and spreading awareness in accessible ways.
“We’re doing more events than we normally would,” Shippy said. “We’re trying to get people to understand what public health is as a major, because a lot of students don’t really know what it means. We want to bring awareness and grow the program.”
Public health major Chekeenah Jeudi and Rikee Curtis, juniors and members of the club, helped distribute the Boo Bags and explained the event’s lighter, welcoming theme.
“We wanted something that fit the Halloween season but still had a health focus,” Jeudi said. “In the bags, we included condoms and candy to promote safe sex practices and make sure everyone’s having a safe time while having fun.”
Curtis said accessibility was key. Students were encouraged to grab a bag on their way to class or stop by to ask questions about safe sex and general health. Each bag also included short health facts and reminders about preventive care.
“It’s just a grab-and-go kind of thing,” Curtis said. “We wanted people to feel comfortable taking one even if they didn’t have time to stay and talk.”
The Public Health Society also plans to hold similar outreach events throughout the year, including its annual Kisses and Condoms program in February and a food pantry drive in November.
For Shippy and other club members, each initiative is a way to make public health visible — and relevant — to everyone on campus. Shippy said the group hopes to continue finding creative ways to connect with the student body.
Whether it is through themed giveaways or larger service projects, the goal is always to make public health feel approachable and engaging.
She added that the club’s success depends on teamwork and the willingness of members to bring fresh ideas that blends education with community spirit.
“We just want to make sure everybody’s informed, safe and included,” Shippy said. “That’s what public health is all about.”
