UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Based in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, the One Health Club aims to connect people interested in One Health, regardless of major, university, or perspective.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is inextricably linked to the health of animals and our shared environment.
Isabelle Gapen, a sophomore majoring in animal science and vice president of the club, said One Health is part of everyone's daily life, citing interactions with pets and doctors as an example. She explained that it was important to her to create something. It is an organization where students from all backgrounds and fields can learn more.
“One Health is the intersection of animal health, public health and environmental health,” Gapen said. “This is extremely important, especially after the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and other zoonotic diseases. Whether we know it or not, our interactions with everything around us can make everyone more vulnerable. are involved in One Health.”
Jennifer Cole, assistant professor of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences and advisor to the One Health Club, emphasized the importance of understanding how human and animal health are intertwined.
“Almost 60% of established infectious diseases originate in animals, and a further 75% of newly emerging infectious diseases are transmitted from animals to humans,” Cole said. “Climate change and associated population growth coupled with severe weather patterns, human behavior, and environmental and agricultural policies have negative impacts on human and animal health.”
One Health Club was founded by Emely Carvajal, a fourth-year animal science student with a minor in wildlife and fisheries science. When she was serving as her One Health chair for her Pre-Vet Club, she decided it was time for One Health to have its own organization.
She teamed up with Gapen to officially launch One Health Club in the fall of 2023. The two also worked with Koehl to make the club a reality.
“This club is intended to unite students across majors and focus on ideas and areas of research that are indirectly related to their majors and interests,” Cole said. “Students in the One Health club can expect eye-opening discussions about previously unknown interdisciplinary relationships and career paths that may blend a variety of interests.”
Carvajal said there are many potential careers in this field because One Health is embedded in so many aspects of the world.
“Our club invites guest speakers to introduce our members to the different career paths possible within One Health,” Carvajal said. “This also helps provide a complete picture of what is happening in the world through the lens of One Health.”
