Service Learning, Programs Manager

Office of Public Health Practice
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Professional Summary

• 2015 - present, Service Learning, Programs Manager, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• 2012 – 2015, Coordinator, Service Learning Academy, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Education

• Graduate Certificate, Nonprofit Management, University of Nebraska-Omaha [In Progress]
• Master of Public Health, Community Health Education, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Wayne State College

Selected Publication and Presentations

• Margalit, M., Vinson, L., Ngaruiya, C., et al. (2015, June). Bridge to care for refugee health: Lessons from an interprofessional collaboration in the Midwest. Int Public Health J 2015;7(1):163-171.
• Vinson, L., Lemke, A., Schulte, C., Blood, J. (2014, May).  Bridge To Care & Refugee Health Collaborative: Addressing Health Disparities of Resettled Refugees While Enhancing Personal and Professional Growth of Students and the Community. Presentation at the Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Conference.  Chicago, IL
• Margalit, M., Paskowitz, R., Vinson, L. (2014, March). Authentic Engagement: When Passion Meets Community Needs.  Presentation at the Greater Omaha Young Professional Summit. Omaha, NE
• Vinson, L., Margalit, M., Franks, P., Kudlacz, A., Lemke, A., Schulte, C. (2013, November). Local global health – health professions students’ meaningful engagement with resettled refugees. Presentation at Reinvigorating Our Process of Discovery, the 2013 International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Conference. Omaha, NE

Summary

Laura Vinson is a proud native to rural Nebraska, growing up in Randolph and Osmond. After relocating to Omaha in 2010, she became actively involved in her community as an emerging public health professional and community volunteer.

Laura is currently the Service Learning Programs Manager with the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Laura’s primary role is to connect Master of Public Health (MPH) students with partner organizations to develop mutually beneficial opportunities for engagement. The primary mechanism for engagement is through an Applied Practice Experience (APEx), which is a requirement of all MPH students. Laura assists the students in the development and implementation of the APEx and discusses with partner organization’s their community-identified needs.

Prior to Laura’s role focusing solely on the Applied Practice Experience, she was the Coordinator with the Interprofessional Service Learning Academy at UNMC for five community-engaged programs. These student-initiated programs provided interprofessional opportunities for health profession students to engage and meet the needs of underserved communities in Omaha, Nebraska. Students engaged and developed partnerships with both community organizations and homeless, refugees, domestic violence victims, incarcerated individuals, and individuals battling cancer.

Laura’s passion resides in developing mutually beneficial campus-community partnerships and community engagement.