r of the Journal, having been preceded by two other noted educators: Dr. A. Bliss, University of California and Dr. William G. Walter, Montana State
Du Harry
ni ersity.
A scholarship fund supported entirely by the National Environmental Health Associa tion members was conceived in 1983 after Dr. A. Harry Bliss made a $1,000 donation to the Association. The Scholarship became a reality in 1984 after an all-out fund-raising campaign. Two scholarships were awarded in the years 1985 and 1986 from interest earned from the fund. Various scholarships funded by association members or industry have been provided at various times throughout the 50 years. The bond between the educational community and NEHA is a strong one. The majority of practitioners today are products of the educational system that was started by the founders of the National Association of Sanitarians and developed through the years with NEHA influence.
Graduate Education in Environmental Health
Graduate level education and training in environmental health has provided the cadre of leaders for this profession. The greatest number of graduate degree holders in environmental health completed their graduate work while on leave from a health depart ment or other governmental agency. The availability of traineeships under the Public Health Service Training Act made this possible. Studies at the master's level provide the depth of technological knowledge in a specific area of environmental health and in administration and management skills which are needed by persons directing environ mental health programs. There are very few individuals functioning in local or state environmental health agencies with doctoral degrees. Most environmental health personnel with doctorates are involved in academic programs or in research. Graduate level training in environmental health has changed over the years with new technology and the manpower needs in environmental health. Early graduate programs were located in colleges of engineering and in schools of public health. The colleges of engineering offered graduate programs in sanitary engineering which included sub ject matter in chemistry and biology, in addition to water and wastewater treatment. The environmental health and public health content in these programs was generally minimal. Many of the schools of public health offered a one year program leading to a Master of Public Health degree for environmental health personnel who had worked at least two or three years in the field of public health. This type of curriculum provided education and training in epidemiology, biostatistics, health administration, and environ mental health. These one year programs have virtually been replaced by two year programs. The entrance requirement of two to three years experience in environmen tal health before admission to graduate schools has also been eliminated. In the early years when the number of graduates from baccalaureate environmental health programs entering M.P.H. programs was limited, they found much of the graduate material duplicative of their undergraduate work. The graduate program curriculum content has now evolved to consist of advanced technical courses and research oppor tunities, in addition to administrative and management courses. Under the Public Health Service Act, funding has been provided to 45 graduate environmental health programs for improving and increasing the size of their graduate programs. These programs were offered through schools of public health, schools of
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