The University of Maryland School of Public Health has named Kristin Cipriani ’09, M.A. ’14, as director of the Public Health Science undergraduate major and Dr. Jennifer Hodgson ’05, MPH ’08, as director of the Public Health Science program at the Universities at Shady Grove.
As director of the Public Health Science major, Cipriani will oversee and direct the University of Maryland’s fourth largest undergraduate major, including strategic planning, recruitment, faculty and staff and student services support. She will also ensure the Public Health Science curriculum meets the needs of students and the workforce.
Cipriani earned her master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Maryland and her MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. She played an integral role in the launch of the Public Health Science major in 2014 and previously served as a Public Health Science lecturer, as well as assistant director and then associate director of the major.
“All that we do in Public Health Science is for our students, so I am most looking forward to watching their continued success,” Cipriani said. “While our team provides the educational foundation and co-curricular experiences, it is our current students and alumni who embody the spirit of Public Health Science. As we continue to have more graduates with longer tenures outside of UMD, I know their impact will reach broadly and be felt by many.”
As director of the Public Health Science program at the Universities at Shady Grove, Hodgson will oversee strategic planning, enrollment management, admissions, faculty and staff and academic and student service activities. She will also oversee forthcoming changes due to the rollout of the Shady Grove 2.0 initiative.
Hodgson earned her MPH from the University of Maryland and her Ed.D. from Frostburg State University. She joined the School of Public Health as a lecturer in 2010 and has been steadfast in her support of students and programs ever since. She previously served as the undergraduate program director with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health.
“I am privileged to work with a remarkable group of students who strive to make a difference as future public health professionals,” Hodgson said. “Their educational journeys have not always been linear, but they demonstrate perseverance and grit that is unwavering. Whatever small role I play in their journey is truly a joy for me and I look forward to continuing that work.”