About the Delta Omega Society

Quick Facts

• Founded in 1924 at the then Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

• To encourage and recognize excellence in practice, research, education and academic achievement in the field of public health

• There are currently 65 chapters in North America• Members are:

Students Alumni Faculty Honorary

• National Office housed in Washington DC

Membership Criteria

• Students: Up to 10% of the graduating student body, who must be in the upper 25% academically.

• Faculty: Either five members or 3% of the full-time faculty, whichever is less.

• Alumni: A maximum of ten graduates of the local school of public health whose work in the practice of public health would serve as a model for future graduates of the school.

• Honorary: This membership shall be limited to three the first year a chapter is active and limited to one every year thereafter and conferred only upon persons possessing exceptional qualifications, who have attained meritorious distinction in the field of public health.

Honorary Members

• Honorary membership is conferred only upon persons possessing exceptional qualifications, who have attained meritorious national or international distinction in the field of public health.

• Persons may be nominated for honorary membership by any chapter, or by any member of the National Council.

• National honorary members include: President Herbert Hoover (1929) Sara Josephine Baker (1924) David Satcher, U.S. Surgeon General (1998) Claude Earl Fox, III, HRSA Administrator (2000) and more!

Member Benefits

• Discounts on Publications & Memberships Public Health Reports subscription discount,

APHA membership discount, etc.

• Networking Opportunities Annual Delta Omega member reception at

APHA.

• Leadership Development Student research and Innovative Curriculum

awards.

http://www.deltaomega.org/Benefits.cfm

Find a member/Update member information

http://www.deltaomega.org/members.cfm

Maintaining a Chapter

• Have yearly inductions of members;• Submit a chapter report after each induction; and • Pay national dues of $40 per each inductee.

Chapters whose revenue exceeds $5,000 per year should file a financial report with the national office if the chapter revenue and expenses are not included in the university tax filing process. Chapters whose revenue is less than $5,000 and whose revenue/expenses are included in the university tax statements do not need to file a financial report with the national office.

Chapter Resources/Getting Started

http://www.deltaomega.org/ForChapters.cfm

Suggested Chapter Activities

• Maintain a chapter website that includes a membership database and directory.

• Host an annual meeting of membership. • Have annual Delta Omega lecture.• Sponsor an Awards Dinner. • Address new students at orientation.• Sponsor best thesis/dissertation and present a plaque to the

winner.• Raise money for a leadership retreat. • Coordinate a mentorship program. • Hold chapter luncheon or dinner with guest speakers. • Provide Delta Omega stoles and mugs for graduates. • Increase visibility of Delta Omega at school. • Induct honorary members to recognize contributions of local

community members. • Arrange for the school to participate in a food drive for the local

food bank. • Participate in the National Office's sponsored activities (Student

Poster Session and Curricula Award).

Classics

• Delta Omega classics are important texts, which have been deemed public health classics by the national council. They are generally out of print, or not widely available in libraries. Delta Omega has sponsored the reprinting of many of these classics on a limited basis.

• Recent Classics include: Fifth Annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics roundtable

discussion on prematurity. 1936. Introduction by Hamisu M. Salihu, MD, PhD, University of South Florida College of Public Health. (Supplement: Excerpt from 1919 article by Arvo Ylppö)

The Contagiousness of Puerperal Fever, 1843, by Oliver Wendell Holmes . Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Labouring Population of Great Britain,

1842, by Edwin Chadwick State of Public Health Work by Charles V. Chapin, M.D., 1915

PART 2 State of Public Health Work by Charles V. Chapin, M.D., 1915

PART 1

Innovative Public Health Curriculum Award

• Created in 2001 to applaud the important role public health graduate education plays in the development and maintenance of a strong, active and well-prepared public health profession, as well as to acknowledge that schools/programs of public health and their faculty develop and implement creative public health educational offerings that bridge the gap between public health academia and practice, and stimulate the evolution of innovative graduate public health courses that are responsive to the educational needs of the public health work force.

• Winner/s recognized at the Annual BusinessMeeting each year.

• Curricula are shared on the web site: http://www.deltaomega.org/CurrAward.cfm

Student Poster Session

• Since 1998, Delta Omega has sponsored a student poster session at the annual APHA meeting to showcase the excellent scholarship and research of students in accredited schools and programs of public health.

• Students receive a cash prize, as well as the opportunity to present their work during the APHA meeting.

• Students do not have to be members of Delta Omega, but must be in a school/program with an active Delta Omega chapter, and be nominated by that chapter.

• The Call for Abstracts is released early in the year and submissions are due in beginning-to-mid-April.

NEW! Chapter Awards

• In 2010, the National Office will host the inaugural chapter awards to recognize for activities and community service.

• Applications will be due September 30 each year.• Award Categories include:

Chapter of the Year Award: Chapter activity + service + chapter participation points.

Active Chapter Award: Chapter activity points + chapter participation points.

Chapter Service Award: Service activity points + chapter participation points.

New Chapter of the Year Award: Chapter with the most chapter activity + service + chapter participation points and has been established for three full years or less

Mentor Network

• Allows public health students or young professionals to search for public health professionals who are willing to answer questions or provide career advice.

• All mentors are members of Delta Omega.

• You do not have to be a member to use the network and/or search for a mentor.

• Search for a mentor or sign-up to be a mentor at:http://www.deltaomega.org/mentorsearch.cfm

Sundries

Order information available at:http://www.deltaomega.org/Sundries.cfm

Upcoming Annual Meeting

• Delta Omega Poster PresentationsMonday, November 8, 2010 | 10:30-11:30 AM Colorado Convention Center, Denver CO

• Delta Omega Annual Business Meeting, Monday, November 8, 2010 (Time/Place TBD)

• Delta Omega ReceptionImmediately following the Annual Business Meeting

Find information about Delta Omega events at:http://www.deltaomega.org/calendar.cfm

Delta Omega Booth at APHA

Find us in the Schools of Public Health row at the APHA Exhibition Hall!

Contact us:

Allison Foster, Executive Secretary Delta Omega National Office 1900 M Street, NW, Ste. 710

Washington, DC 20036

t: (202) 296-1099f: (202)296-1252

e: afoster@asph.org