School of Public Health celebrates 400 graduates
Alumna delivers message to Class of 2024: ‘Everybody has the right to good health’
ANN ARBOR—On May 2, 2024, the University of Michigan School of Public Health celebrated more than 400 graduates who received 286 master’s degrees, 100 undergraduate degrees and 28 doctoral degrees during commencement at the historic Hill Auditorium.
Jodi-Ann Burey, MPH ’14, addressed the Class of 2024, thanking them for persevering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Your unwavering commitment to improving health and saving lives is the only reason any of us are here today,” said Burey, who earned a Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Education. “On the heels of the pandemic, while so many folks around the world clamored to get back to normal, each of you came here.
“Perhaps some of you came to advance your already established careers. And for others, you came here to start one. Either way, you came. Because you believe in the core value of this discipline: Everybody has the right to good health.”
Burey has more than 15 years of entrepreneurial, corporate, non-profit and start-up professional experience. She has become a sought-after speaker and writer. Burey is the creator and host of Black Cancer, a podcast about the lives of people of color through their cancer journeys. Her forthcoming book, “AUTHENTIC” (Flatiron Books, 2025) extends the ideas first presented in her TED Talk, The Myth of Bringing Your Full Authentic Self to Work, disrupting traditional narratives about racism at work. She also is a regular contributor on KUOW-NPR in Seattle, where she has called home since leaving Ann Arbor in 2014.
When I write and speak about racism in the workplace, I do so because public health is how I know about weathering, how chronic stress corrodes our physical and psychological health. Health and health equity is the lens through which I see the world. It’s how I know where to belong. Once you have this training, you can never go back.”
— Jodi-Ann Burey
“As public health professionals, health equity is our only goal,” Burey said. “It is mathematically and morally impossible to fulfill our mandate that every body has the right to good health, if we leave Black, brown, queer, poor, immigrant, women, trans, refugee, elder, non-binary, rural, sick, and disabled people behind. Earning your degree in public health is a momentous achievement. But, graduates, it is also your debt.
“It’s been 11 years since I graduated from Michigan Public Health. I spent five of those years working in international development. Then spent the next six years pursuing other seemingly non-health related professional paths. To an outsider, my work is no longer legible as public health.
“But when I write and speak about racism in the workplace, I do so because public health is how I know about weathering, how chronic stress corrodes our physical and psychological health. Health and health equity is the lens through which I see the world. It’s how I know where to belong. Once you have this training, you can never go back.”
Dean F. DuBois Bowman also addressed the class, presiding over his fourth graduation ceremony since becoming dean of Michigan Public Health.
“After graduation, you will fan out across the globe, taking on critical roles in government agencies, in healthcare systems, in the private sector, on the frontlines of public health practice, and in countless other areas,” Bowman said.
“As I have navigated my own career after graduation, I have also had the pleasure of watching my Michigan Public Health classmates evolve into public health leaders around the world. And I know the same will happen for you. You each have something important and valuable to offer the world, and we are all cheering you on.”
Bowman said the graduating class is entering the field of public health at an important time because the issues that society is grappling with are monumental.
“I feel hopeful about the future, and that’s because I know our passionate public health graduates will work tirelessly to create a healthier, more equitable world for all. Our future is brighter because of you.”
— Dean F. DuBois Bowman
“These are issues such as climate change, gun violence, the lasting impacts of the COVID pandemic and threats of other infectious diseases, and the devastating public health impacts of war,” he said. “We have witnessed horrifying violence and tragedy unfold around the world—in Haiti, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and many other regions.
“Sometimes, when we think about the state of the world, it can feel daunting and discouraging. But as I look out at this graduating class, I feel hope and inspiration. These are all complex issues that require interdisciplinary approaches to create meaningful change and impact. And public health must have a seat at the table. In some cases, public health must lead.
“Graduates, these are issues that desperately need you. I believe that our public health students stand out because of their passion and selflessness. So, again, I feel hopeful about the future, and that’s because I know our passionate public health graduates will work tirelessly to create a healthier, more equitable world for all. Our future is brighter because of you.”
Student speaker Tai Yang, MS ‘24, who earned a Master of Science in Biostatistics, thanked his mentors, friends and family for their unwavering support, especially his family watching from his native China.
Yang said he is fueled by the belief that education is the gateway to a world of possibilities. Growing up, he witnessed firsthand the challenges and disparities in healthcare access, which were often overlooked in broader discussions.
Yang’s experience sparked his passion for public health.
We’re united by a vision—a world where health is accessible and equitable for all, a vision that has been both cultivated and reinforced by our time here at Michigan. Let’s hold on to that vision as we go forth, applying the invaluable lessons we’ve learned to create a positive impact in communities around the globe.”
— Tai Yang
“We've all faced our share of challenges, whether navigating new cultures as international students or striving to meet the rigorous academic standards set before us,” he said. “Through these varied experiences, we've come together, finding solidarity in our shared struggles and emerging stronger for it. Our common experiences—late-night studies, impassioned debates and the relentless pursuit of knowledge—have all prepared us for the noble task that lies ahead.”
Meeting the demands of earning a public health degree has given Yang and his fellow graduates more than knowledge, he said. It has instilled in them a common mission to safeguard and enhance public health.
“Here, we’ve learned that health is not a privilege but a right,” said Yang, who will pursue a PhD in Biostatistics at the Michigan Public Health starting in the fall. “It belongs to every individual, in every community. It’s a principle that transcends all barriers and is the cornerstone of the work we are all embarking upon. My ambition is to harness the rigorous training and diverse experiences gained here to address and reduce health disparities, ensuring that our statistical advancements contribute directly to equitable healthcare outcomes.
“As we look to the future, let’s embrace the resilience and the spirit of collaboration that have been the hallmark of our experiences at Michigan Public Health. It’s time for us to take bold steps into the broader world, carrying with us the determination to put our skills into action for the common good. We’re united by a vision—a world where health is accessible and equitable for all, a vision that has been both cultivated and reinforced by our time here at Michigan. Let’s hold on to that vision as we go forth, applying the invaluable lessons we’ve learned to create a positive impact in communities around the globe.”