ATLANTA—The Georgia State University School of Public Health recently honored the academic accomplishments of its students and the role that private support from Dean’s Society members and other donors plays in transforming their lives at its second annual Celebrating Student Excellence Ceremony.
“I am immensely proud of each of our honorees and of the network of support from our donors, faculty and staff,” said Rodney Lyn, School of Public Health Dean and Professor. “Thank you for your commitment to the education and training of the next generation of public health leaders to advance health equity.”

Dean Rodney Lyn presents the Undergraduate Public Health Achievement award to Khushi Bhatiya.
The 2024 Student Excellence Award winners are listed below:
Undergraduate Public Health Achievement Award: Khushi Bhatiya
Bhatiya is deeply dedicated to the belief that health is a human right and is highly engaged both in and outside of the classroom. In addition to her public health studies, she currently works as a medical assistant at the Salveo Integrative Health’s psychiatric and behavioral health clinic. After graduating next month, she will work full-time with the clinic, including a shadowing opportunity, and will begin applying to graduate degree programs to continue her education path in the public health and medical fields. In her spare time, she serves as a member of the Red Cross Club and volunteers at local food banks.
Master of Public Health Achievement Award: Catherine Scipion
Scipion is a Fulbright scholar who received her medical degree from Haiti and has applied her experience as a clinician and international perspective to her MPH research focused on advancing care pathways for older adults and others with chronic conditions. Working in the research lab of Associate Professor Jalayne Arias, Dr. Scipion plays a central role and has led several sub-projects. She recently completed a manuscript submission and oral conference presentation on a project examining clinician acceptance of AI-tools within healthcare. Dr. Scipion also has continued to contribute to scientific efforts external to Georgia State University, including providing statistical analysis review for the Haitian Journal of Surgery and Anesthesiology, along with several research collaborations in Haiti.
PhD in Public Health Achievement Award: Kennicia Fortson
Fortson works as an essential member of Associate Professor Amanda Gilmore’s research team within the Alcohol and Sexual Assault Prevention Lab. She has served in leadership roles for projects funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, presented her findings at the Research Society on Alcohol and has collaborated on three systemic review and meta-analysis teams, leading to work published in top journals. Additionally, Fortson is the recipient of a prestigious fellowship with the Southern Regional Education Board State Doctoral Scholars Program. Through this fellowship, she receives training and mentorship from scholars of racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds to become a leader in academia.
Doctor of Public Health Achievement Award: Sasha Smith
Smith serves as the Chief Epidemiologist for the Fulton County Board of Health, where she leads work in Georgia’s largest health district focused on prevention and response to communicable disease and other health threats through disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, data analysis and public health interventions. Smith has also significantly helped the School of Public Health and Georgia State University expand valued partnerships and training opportunities within her health district.
Diane Caves Memorial Award: Khadijah Ameen
Ameen co-founded the non-profit organization Black Health, which aims to address crucial race issues around health through community-engaged scholarship. Through the organization, she has implemented numerous community health education events and contributed to several community-based participatory research collaborations. Additionally, Ameen has collaborated with Partnership for Southern Equity and the Black Youth Project 100 and serves as a mentor to younger Black students studying public health. Working with Professor Collins Airhihenbuwa, she has contributed to four NIH-funded grants and has co-authored a book chapter on promoting racial equity through community engagement that will be published by the American Public Health Association later this year. Ameen is the School of Public Health’s first recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Policy Scholar Fellowship.
2024 scholarship recipients are listed below:
Judith Ottoson Scholarship: Elodie Awate
Kreuter Katz Family Scholarship: Kasumi Kato
School of Public Health Endowed Scholarship: Mikah Fuller, Joshua Laurent
Women’s Philanthropy Network Scholarship in Public Health in Honor of President Becker: Andrea Bickham, Guerlande Petit, Jaisha White
Rhodes Haverty Scholarship: Kayla Osmon
SPH Future Leaders Endowed Scholarship: Kierra Jackson, Anushka Patel
For more information about the award recipients, visit https://publichealth.gsu.edu/student-awards-scholarships/