Dear readers,

It is with great pleasure and excitement that we share with you the eighth volume of the Undergraduate Journal of Public Health at the University of Michigan. We are delighted to present a wide array of articles, highlighting the passion and commitment of our undergraduate authors to the interdisciplinary and collaborative field that is public health. We feature articles that provide a glimpse into multifaceted issues across the world, from Detroit to South Africa to Dharamshala, India, illustrating crucial public health topics for the first time, notably substance use, occupational health and, immigration. Through our latest volume, we provide space for community-centered research, exploration, and critical dialogue regarding historical inequities that continue to plague our present-day.

We are thrilled to feature student authors hailing from diverse backgrounds, spanning the state of Michigan as well as institutions nationwide and internationally, offering perspectives on issues at the local, national, and global levels. We hope that this collection of articles continues to exemplify our publication’s mission: to spotlight student-driven and student-reviewed work. At the heart of our journal this year lies a commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of mental health issues and promoting strategies for enhancing well-being at all levels. We have curated a special section on “Mental Health and Wellbeing”, comprising five insightful pieces that explore some of the most pressing issues in the mental health realm, highlighting issues such as stigma and barriers to mental health care

We would like to express our gratitude to our dedicated undergraduate editorial board, whose careful review and insightful feedback enriched the articles and blog posts submitted this year, and whose collaborative efforts culminated in the creation of this volume. We are thankful to our PhD student reviewers for their time, expertise, and specialized feedback, which enhanced the quality of the articles in this journal.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to our faculty advisor, Dr. Ella August, whose unwavering mentorship and guidance empowered us to grow as leaders, critical thinkers, and visionaries. We are grateful for our talented cover artist, Yoo Young Chun, whose ability to encapsulate the themes of our journal in beautiful and artistic imagery has once again amplified the themes of our featured articles. We also thank MPublishing for their patience and diligent efforts in elevating our journal to a level of professionalism that we could not have attained alone.

Lastly, we wish to extend our sincere appreciation to our authors, whose substantial contributions form the foundation of this publication. Without them, we would not be able to do what we do and for this, we are immensely grateful. Their diverse backgrounds, interests, lived experiences, commitment to lifelong learning, and drive to innovate leave us hopeful for a brighter and more equitable future. We wish all those in our journey to publication the best in their future endeavors. We are thankful for this opportunity and will forever cherish this experience.

Notes

1. Conflicts of interest: The author has no conflicts of interest to disclose.