PHAST Projects

PHAST programming takes the form of training, projects, community service, and social events. Activities completed by students during the 2025-26 academic year are described below.
Training  
Orientation New PHAST students received training from the Ginsberg Center focused on community engagement and entering and exiting communities

Introduction to Interpersonal Skills

 Training with Office of Student Conflict Resolution
Qualitative Analysis Training with Office of Multi Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA)
Advanced Interpersonal Skills Training with Office of Student Conflict and Resolution
Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD) Tour Tour of WCHD and emergency preparedness exercise simulation

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Community Health Emergency Coordination Center (CHECC) and State Lab Tour

Tour offering students an in-depth look at state-level public health emergency preparedness and response including an overview of the National Incident Management System, MDHHS coordination with local health departments, and a live Lab-Epi call. Students also tour the CHECC facility and engage in a discussion-based simulation exercise to apply emergency response principles in real time.
Projects  
Livingston County Health Department BRFSS Data Analysis

 A PHAST student worked with LCHD to identify relevant BRFSS questions in the dataset, analyse the selected data questions, and prepare a 1-2 page data brief to highlight the important topics and concepts.
Livingston County Health Department Pertussis Data Analysis

A PHAST student worked with LCHD to complete the following:  

  • Conduct basic descriptive analyses of pertussis cases (i.e., demographics, vaccine status)
  • Compare the occurrence of pertussis across the different schools
  • Incorporate school-level vaccine waiver rate data into the analysis comparing pertussis occurrence across the different schools 
Washtenaw County Health Department Birth Control Data Analysis A PHAST student worked with WCHD to enter, organize, analyze data from a physical tracking sheet, determine program outcomes such as demographics, where supplies were distributed, who benefitted, etc.  
Washtenaw County Health Department Health Equity Roots Lunch & Learn A PHAST student worked WCHD to conduct research based on NACCHO’s Roots of Health Equity for lunch & learn sessions, while also preparing materials, facilitations notes, and discussion questions for these future sessions. 
Washtenaw County Health Department Sanitarian Career Promotion A PHAST student worked WCHD to develop a one-pager to highlight the work of sanitarians as a “Day in the Life” for external social media presence.
MI Medicine - Psychiatry Department - Zero to Thrive - LinkedIn Presence/Health Communication A PHAST student supported the MI Medicine Psychiatry department through the development of LinkedIn social media posts and graphics connected to the Zero to Thrive brand and presence. 
MI Medicine - Psychiatry Department - Zero to Thrive Newsletter/Health Communication A PHAST student supported the MI Medicine Psychiatry department by developing an internal newsletter to highlight the breadth and impact of the Zero to Thrive program. This student also wrote an op-ed piece to be included. 
MI Medicine - Program for Multicultural Health - Health Cafes Presentations PHAST students began working with MI Medicine’s Program for Multicultural Health by supporting their Health Cafes initiative. The primary focus for this project was for the students to assist with creating and co-facilitating health education presentations. This project will also continue next year as students only began scratching the surface for presentation development.
MI Medicine - Program for Multicultural Health - Health Cafes Evaluation/Lookbook

PHAST Students began working with MI Medicine’s Program for Multicultural Health by supporting their Health Cafes initiative. The primary focus for this project was for the students to assist with revamping their evaluation tools. This project will continue on into the next academic year, as students only completed the following this year:

  • Develop/revise evaluation tools (i.e., reflection prompts, pre/post survey)
  • Recommendations for feasible data collection processes during/after Café sessions
  • Pilot testing of revised evaluation tools 

Next year students will work to create a “lookbook” style annual report template that the program can continue to use.
Emergency Preparedness Exercise

PHAST students assisted with the development and implementation of the Emergency Preparedness Exercise with the Public Health Practice & Global Engagement Team, Public Health Prepared, and the WCHD. Through this they developed a Situation Manual with objectives and scenarios for tabletop exercise and closed point of distribution exercise
Community Service  

Food Boxing/Distribution w/ Community Family Life Center 

PHAST students supported the Community Family Life Center (CFLC) through one initiative this year: food boxing and distribution efforts. During this time they assisted with sorting, packing, and delivering food boxes, as well as stocking shelves and preparing pantry items for community members.
Pop-Up Safety Town w/ SAFE ARMS Study PHAST students supported the SAFE ARMS Study at a few different Pop-Up Safety Town events in April. Students assisted with children while their parents or guardians participated in the safety education stations. Additionally, they provided resources and information around gun safety for families.
Wolverine Walk for Reproductive Justice w/ Lunar Doula Support Network + Birth Detroit PHAST students supported the Wolverine Walk for Reproductive Justice by tabling and providing resources with organizations such as Birth Detroit while also assisting participants on the course. 
Food Access Volunteering w/ Keep Growing Detroit PHAST students supported Keep Growing Detroit in a variety of ways throughout the academic year. All activities surrounded supporting their gardening and food access efforts for the community.
Volunteering w/ Therapeutic Riding, Inc.  PHAST Students supported Therapeutic Riding, Inc. through a barn clean up effort. This allows the facility to remain running smoothly and to provide therapeutic services to individuals with disabilities. 
Birth Kit Assembly w/ Global Health Charities PHAST students supported the birth kit assembly with Global Charities by assisting with assembling supplies such as disinfectants, gloves, gauze, birthing instructions, soap, plastic bags and sheeting, umbilical cord blade and clamp, and a baby hat and blanket. Students also learned from Global Health Charities about the disparities of accessing basic birthing supplies in developing countries. 
Food Access Volunteering w/ Food Gatherers PHAST students supported Food Gatherers throughout the academic year by attending their community service events to assist with food boxing and distribution to address food insecurity needs.
Social Events  
PHAST Returning Member Meeting Returning PHAST members came together for a social event to kick-off the new academic year. They spent time reflecting on their internships and brainstormed for the year ahead in PHAST.
PHAST-Giving PHAST members came together for “PHAST-giving” which is a play off of “Friendsgiving”. It was a time for fun, laughter, and community.  
 Paint Your Own Mini Pot Social The PHAST Social Sub-Committee planned a social for members to pop into between classes to paint a mini pot, grab some food, and be in community. 
End-of-Year Celebration The End-of-Year Celebration was time for graduating PHAST students to come together and be recognized for their contributions through certificates and service cords.

Past Projects:

  • Community Family Life Center: The Community Family Life Center neighborhood-based, non-profit organization that serves as a hub for the Sugarbrook Neighborhood and the greater Ypsilanti area. Our students worked to develop a volunteer toolkit and curriculum for the afterschool program.
  • Children's Literacy Network: The Children's Literacy Network (CLN) is volunteer-based nonprofit agency that was founded in 1991 by a group of educators dedicated to promoting the benefits of literacy. PHAST began partnering with CLN in November 2018 to evaluate the Staying in Closer Touch (SiCT) program. 
  • Healthy Dearborn Coalition: The Healthy Dearborn Coalition (HDC) is a partnership between Beaumont Health, City of Dearborn, and Dearborn Public Schools to use a community approach to create a culture of health in Dearborn through active living and healthy eating strategies. Our students worked with HDC to review existing equity tools and create the collective vision for the tool.
  • Northfield's Human Services: Northfield's Human Services (NHS) provides social services, including, but not limited to, access to health care, food, and transportation, or assistance with access to these services, in an empowering and respectful way to the residents of Northfield Township and the greater Whitmore Lake area who face challenges due to low income, older age, disabilities, or other special needs and disadvantages. Our students worked with NHS to create a communication plan to provide recommendations on improving the visibility of their services to community members of Northfield Township and the greater Whitmore Lake area.