Health Scholars

Reading, and living, ethical decision-making in public health

Kayla Williams ’19 knows her actions have profound impact.

It is a lesson she picked up in the Valeriote Goldman Public Health Leadership Program.

“It’s not just a learning opportunity, but a means for self-discovery—professionally and personally,” says Williams.

Funded by Trustee Susan Valeriote ’77 and her husband, Ken Goldman, the program pairs a select group of SCU public health majors with leaders in the field—nonprofit CEOs, public health officials, and others.

In class, the pairs discuss readings that deal with ethical issues they’ll face in the field, as well as writings from the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Ursula K. Le Guin. Then the students work in paid internships managed by their mentors.

Williams worked with Dolores Alvarado, CEO of Community Health Partnership, which advocates on behalf of 39 clinics that are treating 200,000 low-income residents in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

post-image Illustration by Jon Krause
Green Is the New Black

Leaders in sustainable fashion shared career advice with student designers at SCU’s popular EcoFashion Show.

Hop 2 It

How do you get from hops to beer? Sustainability interns found out by turning hops grown at SCU’s Forge Garden into “Forge Ahead,” an English-style pale ale.

Racking Up

Tess Heal ’26 is nabbing awards left and right thanks to a stellar freshman year with Santa Clara women’s basketball.

Goal Getter

Top goal-scorer Izzy D’Aquila ’22 graduates and is immediately drafted into the National Women’s Soccer League.