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What's happening in Health and Human Services

Looking for the latest news from CHHS? Read on to see how Northern Arizona University is changing the face of healthcare—on campus and around the world.

Motivating Speech-Language Pathologists to Stay Where They Train

admin | July 20, 2026

School districts in rural communities continue to face shortages of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), limiting many students’ access to crucial care. A recent ASHA Leader article by NAU’s own Jeff Meeks, EdD, CCC-SLP, highlights how speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), working under the supervision of licensed SLPs, are helping expand access to care by supporting underserved schools… Read more

 NAU students awarded the Udall scholarship and the Udall congressional internship

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Two NAU students were selected from a field of highly competitive applicants as winners of the Udall Foundation’s scholarship and internship programs. The foundation supports students who are committed to careers related to the environment, Tribal public policy or Native American health care with up to $7,500 for educational expenses. … Read more

Mesa student awarded full ride scholarship

admin | July 16, 2026

Northern Arizona University Foundation, in partnership with Univision Arizona, announces that first-generation student Itzel Perez Lillos, ’30, from Mesa, Arizona’s Dobson High School, is the second recipient of the “Tu Futuro” (“Your Future”) scholarship program… Read more

Mesa student wins full ride scholarship and holds check.

NAU receives $1.76M grant to train future biomedical workforce

mtf228 | July 2, 2026

Northern Arizona University received its first T32 grant from the National Institutes of Health, which will allow the university to fund 20 doctoral students over a five-year period. … Read more

Masters in Public Health student and teacher.

NAU program trains speech pathologists while filling Phoenix workforce gaps | AZFamily

mtf228 | July 1, 2026

AZFamily recently highlighted Northern Arizona University’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, showcasing how it is helping address Arizona’s growing shortage of certified speech-language pathologists… Read more

A speech-language pathologist smiles while holding an anatomical model of the throat and vocal tract, pointing to its structures as they explain them to a patient during a consultation in a clinical office. The patient sits across the desk wearing a headset microphone, listening attentively.

NAU receives grant to add complex care unit to continuing education program for rural primary care providers | Arizona Daily Sun

mtf228 | June 30, 2026

The Arizona Daily Sun recently highlighted Northern Arizona University’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies after it received a three-year, $175,000 grant from the Vitalyst Health Foundation to expand its Project ECHO program. The funding will support the development of a new continuing education program focused on complex care, helping primary care providers—especially those in rural communities—build the knowledge and confidence to treat more complex conditions close to home… Read more

NAU's Department of Physician Assistant Studies.

New NAU programs using AI to improve future health outcomes

mtf228 | June 25, 2026

The College of Health and Human Services at Northern Arizona University is accepting applications for two programs that train healthcare workers in the use of AI tools in public and clinical health. … Read more

Four students and professionals sit side by side at a conference table, focused on a discussion or presentation. Two participants work on laptops, while one wears medical scrubs and another wears a white coat with a stethoscope, suggesting a healthcare-related learning or collaborative environment.

NAU Foundation and Univision Arizona select second Tu Futuro scholarship recipient | The Arizona Daily Sun

mtf228 | June 22, 2026

Itzel Perez Lillos has been named the recipient of the Tu Futuro full-ride scholarship and will begin her academic journey in Northern Arizona University’s College of Health and Human Services as a student in the Department of Dental Hygiene. She was recognized for her passion for breaking barriers, advocating for underserved communities and using her experiences to inspire others… Read more

Itzel Perez Lillos and her family with the Tu Futuro scholarship award.

NAU’s College of Health and Human Services honors its clinical partners with appreciation event

mtf228 | June 15, 2026

The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) relies on its clinical partners to train the next generation of healthcare providers. To recognize their contributions, Northern Arizona University’s College of Health and Human Services hosted its first Clinical Partners Appreciation Event at the Phoenix Bioscience Core (PBC) Innovation Center near NAU’s Downtown Phoenix campus on May 14, 2026… Read more

Clinical Partners Appreciation Event at the Phoenix Bioscience Core Innovation Center.

The College of Health and Human Services celebrates a successful year for the UCAN program

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The UCAN program, or University Coaching for Activity and Nutrition, out of the Department of Health Sciences, provides NAU students, staff, and faulty with individual health coaching to assist in making lifestyle changes to accomplish health goals. Coaching services include providing guidance on healthy eating, body positivity, meal planning, and stress management… Read more