Students for Global Health (SGH) is an active club on the University of Oregon campus and in the greater Eugene community. We strive to learn about the public health issues facing our world, educate our peers and promote our belief in health equity for all. The following sections provide an overview of the various activities and endeavors at the heart of SGH’s work.
THE BASICS:
SGH meets weekly during the normal academic year to discuss current global health issues, plan club events and learn from each other’s interests. Each week, a different member from the club or its board will run a 1-hour evening meeting that focuses on specific issues in global public health. The format of a typical meeting varies frequently, alternating between didactic lessons, group discussions & debates, guest speakers and games. This weekly meeting forms the core of SGH, and we encourage every member to attend as often as they can. Whether you’ve been coming to SGH meetings for years or you just arrived on campus, this space offers a regular opportunity to make new friends, learn about global health and receive information about upcoming SGH events.
BEYOND THE MEETINGS:
In addition to our lively meetings, SGH also puts on a variety of larger events throughout the year. Often, these events build on the global health topics we engage with at various times in our group discussions. For example, during spring term SGH hosts two annual events: Menstrual Health Week, which includes a wide range of activities to promote the health disparities of people who menstruate particularly in the developing world, and the Strides In Solidarity 5-K, to fundraise for PIH Engage’s latest global health initiatives. SGH also holds bake sales from time to time, in order to raise additional funds for PIH Engage or for other global health-related causes.
But we also like to socialize, too, and strengthen our tight-knit global health community. That’s why SGH organizes an overnight (or two) club retreat every year, also in the spring, to foster closer relationships among our club members and relax for a couple of days before the stress of finals week sets in. The 2017 retreat featured an overnight stay at a yurt camp in Bandon, OR, and for the 2018 retreat we rented a great house in Gleneden Beach, OR over Memorial Day weekend.
Other examples of major events organized and hosted by SGH have included a benefit concert in the fall of 2017, which raised critical funds for a motorcycle ambulance in rural Uganda, as well as the 2018 Western Regional Global Health Conference, which returned to the University of Oregon on May 20-22 after several years at other institutions.
AROUND EUGENE:
Finally, SGH believes in doing its part to lift where we stand. In fact, our mantra is “Think Globally, Act Locally.” So once per academic term, SGH schedules a group volunteer event with a local organization in Eugene, and we encourage every club member to join us for these important outings. One of our partners is Food for Lane County. In the past, our club has helped to repackage uneaten food for delivery to local families and shelters. We’ve also gotten our hands dirty by helping to grow and care for their community garden, which feeds kids and families across the Eugene area. These are just some of the fun and impactful events that comprise SGH’s work. We are always looking for new ideas, so don’t be afraid to speak up at one of our meetings if you’ve got an exciting suggestion.