Outstanding Service Leaders
Epidemiology Student Organization
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Congratulations to our Outstanding Service Leaders for April 2026, the Epidemiology Student Organization from the Bloomberg School of Public Health!
The Epidemiology Student Organization (ESO) has been making an impact this year through actively volunteering with community-based organizations here in Baltimore, including Moveable Feast and the R.I.C.H. Foundation! We spoke with ESO's Community Service Chair, Mena Kazerounian, about the group's service, her experience working with different organizations, and how others can get involved. Read our interview with Mena below to learn more!
Tell us about yourself! What brought you to BSPH, and what made you want to get involved with the Epidemiology Student Organization?
I’m Mena Kazerounian, a Master of Science in Epidemiology student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. I came to BSPH because I’ve always been passionate about infectious disease epidemiology and I wanted to be in a program that not only emphasizes rigorous analytical methods but also connects research to real-world impact. What drew me to the Epidemiology Student Organization was the sense of community. Epidemiology can sometimes feel very technical and individual, and ESO creates a space where students can connect, collaborate, and support one another. I wanted to be part of something that enhances the student experience while also creating opportunities to engage with public health beyond the classroom.
Can you share a little bit about the work you are doing with the Epidemiology Student Organization? How about the time you spent with the R.I.C.H. Foundation and Moveable Feast?
Within ESO, I serve not only as the Masters Student Representative but also as the Community Service Chair, where I focus on building partnerships with local organizations and creating accessible opportunities for students to get involved in service. A big part of my role has been organizing volunteer events that align with public health values—whether that’s addressing underserved populations, or promoting health equity in Baltimore. Through this work, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with organizations like the R.I.C.H. Foundation and Moveable Feast. With Moveable Feast, students prepare and package medically tailored meals for individuals living with chronic illnesses, which really highlights the intersection of nutrition and health outcomes. With the R.I.C.H. Foundation, the focus is more on community empowerment and addressing social determinants of health at a grassroots level. These experiences have been incredibly meaningful because they allow us to translate public health concepts into tangible impact.
Are you aware of any opportunities for others to volunteer? Are you volunteering with any other organizations where students can also get involved?
Yes—there are actually so many opportunities in Baltimore for students to get involved, and ESO tries to highlight and organize many of them. In addition to our partnerships with Moveable Feast and the R.I.C.H. Foundation, we’ve coordinated group volunteering events like the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. There are also ongoing opportunities with organizations like Bea Gaddy Family Centers, where students can help with food distribution and community support services. One of my goals has been to make these opportunities more visible and easier to access, especially for students who are new to Baltimore or unsure how to get involved. I always encourage students to start small—just one event—and they usually find it really rewarding and continue participating.
"Public health isn’t just about implementing interventions—it’s about partnership, trust, and understanding lived experiences. Through volunteering, I’ve seen how effective programs are often the ones that are built with community input and sustained through strong relationships. It’s reinforced for me that meaningful impact doesn’t come from a top-down approach—it comes from collaboration."
How does your community work complement what you’re learning in the classroom at the BSPH?
My community work really brings my coursework to life. In the classroom, we talk a lot about social determinants of health, health disparities, and intervention strategies—but through community engagement, I’m able to see those concepts play out in real time. For example, working with organizations that address food insecurity or chronic disease management has deepened my understanding of how structural factors influence health outcomes. It also reinforces the importance of designing interventions that are not only evidence-based but also community-informed. It’s one thing to analyze data on disparities, but it’s another to directly engage with the communities those data represent. That connection has been incredibly impactful for me.
What is the most important experience you’ve had or most critical thing you’ve learned so far through working with our community?
One of the most important things I’ve learned is the value of listening to communities rather than assuming what they need. Public health isn’t just about implementing interventions—it’s about partnership, trust, and understanding lived experiences. Through volunteering, I’ve seen how effective programs are often the ones that are built with community input and sustained through strong relationships. It’s reinforced for me that meaningful impact doesn’t come from a top-down approach—it comes from collaboration. That perspective is something I’ll carry with me throughout my career in epidemiology, especially as I hope to work in global health settings where community engagement is essential.