Welcome

Welcome to the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health

It is my honor to welcome you . Our calling here is to train future health care leaders in population and public health disciplines – a sector of health care that has been brought to the forefront of the public consciousness by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Though we cannot predict future threats to health with certainty, they likely will bring more challenges and more opportunities to serve the people of our communities and beyond. Your pursuit of education here is a bold decision that I applaud and I admire you for joining us. Here, you will prepare to play a very important role in an unknown future. 

You will learn from excellent and expert faculty, many of whom are published and known nationally and internationally as leaders in their fields. You will also learn from community partners who provide a real-world opportunity to transform healthcare through innovation and collaboration in communities throughout West Texas to the rest of the world. You will form life-long friendships and meet people who will be at your side as you practice your craft.

There is a common misunderstanding that population health is about “everything that pertains to health” and that public health is about “changing everything that pertains to health.” The truth is that both are about refining our perspectives, honing our understanding, and improving our practice across all of the health sciences, so that we achieve better health outcomes and better practice in every health discipline. Students earning a degree from the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health will be on the cutting edge of their fields, sharing a special calling to serve their communities while learning with students in other disciplines. All of us will be richly rewarded as we pursue our deep sense of service to our patients and the communities from which they come. 

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health is preparing the health workforce of the future. I am very happy to welcome you to the community of scholars that will be ready for the next population and public health challenges that confront us. You are beginning your journey. We expect that you will expand the boundaries of your fields of study and we are delighted to join you in this great adventure.

I remember many years ago what it felt like to be a public health student and how uncertain I felt about what I was about to do. I imagine some of you feel the same way now. I promise you this – we are here to support you while you dedicate yourself to this very worthy endeavor. We know that in your time here and the years you will dedicate to your patients and communities will make us all very proud!  

I extend our warmest welcome,

Billy U. Philips, Jr, PhD, MPH
Acting Dean and Professor