UMass Feature Examines Public Health Course "The Epidemic of Loneliness"

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Northampton resident Dennis Bidwell and public health major Raluca Buhaescu

The public health course "The Epidemic of Loneliness" - designed and taught by undergraduate program director Gloria DiFulvio - is featured in a gateway story on the UMass Amherst homepage. In "Experiential Learning Builds Connection Across Generations," DiFulvio describes how she came to create the public health storytelling project, which tackles community, wellness, connection, and perspective by pairing UMass Amherst students with older adults.

“In public health,” explains DiFulvio, “a central part of health is social connection, that feeling of belonging, that sense that you matter in the world.”

Looking at the UMass public health curriculum, she identified the need for a program that addressed these issues. DiFulvio decided to pair students one-on-one with someone of an older generation, and reached out to Northampton Neighbors, a community-focused organization that offers support to older adults to partner with.

Over the course of a semester, UMass Amherst students meet and engage in conversations with Northampton Neighbors members. These meetings culminate in a reciprocal interview in which both student and older adult share stories that are recorded and contributed to the larger project. In the classroom, students unpack their experiences with each other, examining the importance of connection in society and in their own lives.

“It has really opened my eyes,” reveals Raluca Buhaescu, a senior public health and communication major. “Everybody is feeling this, and we should be talking about it more.”

Looking back on her coursework as a public health major, Buhaescu says “The Epidemic of Loneliness” stands out. “We are actually taking what we're discussing and putting those things into practice,” she points out.

Read the full feature here.