Hartford –   West Hartford resident Richard Rodriguez is the recipient of the 2008-2009 University of Connecticut (UCONN), Master of Public Health (MPH) Program Mulvihill Medal for most outstanding graduate.  He is employed as an Epidemiologist at the Department of Public Health (DPH) and is assigned to the Healthcare Associated Infections Program.

Mr. Rodriguez was recognized for having achieved the highest Grade Point Average among his graduating class and the excellence of his thesis titled, “The Associations Between Social, Behavioral, and Health Risk Factors on a High School Student’s Decision to Pursue Post High School Plans.”  

The Mulvihill Medal was established by Dr. James E. and Mary Jane Mulvihill.  Mary Jane is a graduate of the UConn MPH program.  Dr. Mulvihill was vice president, provost, and executive director of the University of Connecticut Health Center from 1980 to 1992.  To be considered for the medal, a student must have an outstanding academic record in combination with excellence in their capstone project and thesis.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.

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