ALUMNI PROFILES

Tom Dunlop MPH (February, 2009)

Retired as the Environmental Health Director with Pitkin Co, CO (Aspen, CO) in 2001

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I am Tom Dunlop. I completed my MPH program at UMass Amherst, February, 2009. My career in Environmental Public Health began in 1968 after graduating Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a BA in Biology. I retired as the Environmental Health Director with Pitkin Co, CO (Aspen, CO) in 2001. I have always worked at the local health department level, but with extensive state, regional and national interaction.

I had dreams of entering graduate school for 30 years, but timing was never quite right. Even after having a successful career I always felt I was missing something others knew that had advanced degrees. Upon completing my MPH I was finally able to apply the academic models, theories, outlines, and connections to what I had been doing in practice for 40 years (I began my MPH program at 60 yrs old). I feel fulfilled professionally and personally now that I have completed the program – this is tremendously understated as it is hard to write in the wonderful emotions I have felt as a student. .

When searching graduate schools, I had three criteria: affordable, accreditated and completely online. Umass Amherst was the only school that met my conditions. Having been out of college for 36 years, I felt challenged when taking the GRE exam and then being introduced to the electronic age of academics. I am forever grateful for leader ship in the Public Health Practice discipline for giving me a chance, having confidence in me and providing constant support.

Dr. Jonathan Engel was my Capstone professor. His design of the course gave clear instruction, not burdensome, but always challenging. He offered excellent mentoring in a diplomatic and scholarly manner. He was (is) a good listener, good evaluator, very approachable and applied common sense and logic to the assignment. He quickly put me at ease when entering the course. I could have not asked for a more qualified advisor to guide me through the Capstone process.

I am not sure how to apply my new degree as I am now 64 years old and have completed my environmental public health career in practice. Adjunct teaching or guest lecturing to our emerging workforce is very attractive to me. When a person commits a lifetime to a career it is difficult to just abandon that effort. I now have the same feelings I had graduating high school, college, ending a career, and completing my MPH: What should I do with the rest of my life? Please wish me luck.

I would also like to thank my wife, Lynn, who was a huge champion of me entering the UMass Amherst MPH program. She sacraficed many important events in order for me to complete my degree.

Tom Dunlop was an Student Inductee into the Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society, RHO Chapter in May 2009. Tom was chosen as an inductee into the Delta Omega Honor Society due to his academic excellence and demonstration of qualities of leadership in public health.