Eta Sigma Gamma Receives Student Organization of the Year Award
Health Sciences students representing Eta Sigma Gamma were awarded the Student Organization of the Year Award for 2018-2019 by the UTEP Student Leadership and Engagement Center (SLEC) earlier this month.
Eta Sigma Gamma, an honor organization for students in the Health Promotion Program in the Department of Public Health Sciences, was previously named by the SLEC as one of five Gold Standard Organizations at UTEP the previous year, and also received the Eta Sigma Gamma National Chapter Recognition award at the ESG National Awards ceremony in late March, in recognition of their significant community engagement and service to the greater El Paso community.
During the 2018-19 academic year, Eta Sigma Gamma participated in a total of 31 different events, including the annual Miner Welcome for incoming freshmen, Orange and Blue Day event for area middle and high school students, holiday giving drives, El Paso Sun City Pride and community health fairs. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the students helped to promote the Mujer Saludable, Familia Feliz program run by their advisor, Dr. Thenral Mangadu, associate professor of Public Health Sciences, and also worked with the UTEP Coordinated Community Response team to promote the Blue Light App which is designed to reduce stalking, sexual assault and domestic violence on campus.
Denisse Portillo, the fall 2018 president of Eta Sigma Gamma, led the effort to submit the application for the SLEC award.
“Our approach to civic engagement, and the impact our organization has made in the community as a result, has stemmed from evaluating the needs our community has,” she said. “Additionally, we take into account what our members are interested in and we also try to find events that we think will interest them, and that is how we are able to become so involved.”
Portillo added that through participation in ESG, members were gaining professional skills that would benefit them in their future careers. “As future public health professionals, we deal with all communities – young, old, LGBT, heterosexual, healthy and sick. By participating in different events in the community, our members gain that experience outside of the classroom.”
Go Miners!