University of Pennsylvania

Center For Public Health

The Center for Public Health (CPH) is a university-wide center founded in 2007 by the Provost’s Office. We promote interdisciplinary research, education, and practice in public health. CPH aims to serve as a public health home for scholars, trainees, and community partners at Penn.

Our Vision

A future where health and well-being are realized—advancing equity, fostering community resilience, and ensuring that all people have the opportunity to thrive.

Our Mission

We bring together communities, scholars, and leaders to advance public health through collaboration, innovation, and equity.

Our work is grounded in four core pillars:

Research: Collaborating with community members and scholars to advance innovative approaches and solutions.

Education: Educating future and current public health leaders and community-based organizations on critical public health topics.

Community Partnerships: Building and sustaining strong, trusted relationships with communities to collectively address pressing health challenges and put research into action.

Policy and Practice: Advocating for effective policies and implementing practices that promote equitable health solutions for all.

Our Current Work

2023 Annual Report

We are excited to announce of release of the 2023 Penn Center for Public Health Annual Report.

In 2023, the Penn Center for Public Health took important strides towards our aspirational goals. This annual report highlights our progress and describes some key initiatives.

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Seminar Series

On April 8, the Penn Center for Public Health, in collaboration with The Penn Center hosted Ayesha Jaco from West Side United as part of Penn Medicine’s Health Equity Week. The event titled “Leveraging Community Led Interventions to Address Social Drivers of Health” served at the keynote.

Event Recap

Public Health Pipeline Plus

The Public Health Pipeline Plus program is a longitudinal summer internship for high school students, facilitated by the Center for Public Health and the Netter Center for Community Partnerships. This program allows Philadelphia high school students interested in health related careers to expand their knowledge in Public Health through classroom learning and fieldwork activities.

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Seminar Series 2025

During Penn Medicine’s Health Equity Week,  the Penn Center for Public Health hosted Ayesha Jaco the Executive Director of West Side United.

She delivered an inspiring and thought-provoking talk on translating community-driven health equity strategies to Philadelphia. Drawing from her leadership experience in Chicago, Jaco detailed the West Side United model, a groundbreaking initiative that brings together hospitals, community organizations, and residents to dismantle racial health inequities.

She emphasized how the model centers community voice, invests in neighborhood-led development, and leverages institutional power to address upstream drivers of health—such as housing, education, employment, and economic opportunity.

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