{"id":82714,"date":"2025-07-22T08:30:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/82714\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T08:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T08:30:12","slug":"university-of-new-havens-weembody-lab-awarded-for-its-impact-on-health-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/82714\/","title":{"rendered":"University of New Haven\u2019s WeEmbody Lab Awarded for its Impact on Health Equity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHonored by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce at its annual Health Care & Life Sciences Awards, the University\u2019s WeEmbody Lab was recognized for its leadership in promoting mental wellness and health equity through research, advocacy, and student mentorship.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 21, 2025\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Caitlin Truesdale, Office of Marketing and Communications\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\"Alvin<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Alvin Tran accepted the Well-Being\/Wellness Program Award on behalf of the University of New Haven’s We Embody Lab.<\/p>\n

The challenges facing healthcare today are complex, but so are the opportunities. At the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce<\/a>\u2019s 23rd Annual Health Care & Life Sciences Awards, Connecticut State Comptroller Sean Scanlon reminded the audience that while federal funding is shifting, \u201cConnecticut, and specifically the New Haven area, is a national and international leader when it comes to health care innovation and delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n

That spirit of leadership was on full display as the University of New Haven\u2019s WeEmbody Lab<\/a> (or WE Lab) received the Well-Being\/Wellness Program Award, recognizing the Lab\u2019s community-driven approach to advancing mental wellness<\/a>, health equity<\/a>, and student engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe WeEmbody Lab at the University of New Haven is a powerful force for health equity and mental wellness, especially among youth and underserved communities,\u201d said Brandon Rousseau, sales director at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, as he presented the award.<\/p>\n

Founded in 2019 by Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH<\/a>, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Health Administration and Policy, the WE Lab has grown into a hub for student-driven research, advocacy, and policy work. \u201cI want to empower first-generation college students just like myself,\u201d said Dr. Tran. \u201cI want to provide mentorship to my students and empower them to become changemakers in whatever community they represent.\u201d<\/p>\n

The WE Lab\u2019s mission is personal for Dr. Tran, who shared, \u201cI\u2019m a first-generation college graduate, the first in my family to go to college, let alone earn a doctoral degree. The mentorship I received made that possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Well-Being\/Wellness<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Alvin Tran accepted the Well-Being\/Wellness Program Award on behalf of the University of New Haven’s We Embody Lab. <\/p>\n

Comptroller Scanlon emphasized the role every individual and community plays in shaping the future of health care. \u201cWe all need health care,\u201d he said. \u201cWe all rely on healthcare, and it\u2019s up to us to make sure that healthcare continues.\u201d<\/p>\n

The WeEmbody Lab\u2019s work reflects this belief. It tackles urgent challenges such as disordered eating, food insecurity, and mental health stigma. By engaging with local communities through research and policy work, the WE Lab ensures that its initiatives are not only research-informed but also community-centered.<\/p>\n

One example is its collaboration<\/a> with the Connecticut Association of School-Based Health Centers to identify clinician training needs for the early detection of adolescent eating disorders. Another is its ongoing needs assessment in West Haven, which amplifies local voices to inform sustainable, trauma-informed health interventions.<\/p>\n

Through this work, the lab isn\u2019t just conducting research, it’s also fostering change. \u201cWe embody community and engagement,\u201d said Dr. Tran.<\/p>\n

Student mentorship is at the heart of the WeEmbody Lab\u2019s mission. Since its founding, the lab has provided opportunities for nearly 100 students to engage in meaningful research and advocacy projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re creating a space where students can lead, where they can see the direct impact of their work,\u201d said Dr. Tran. Many alumni have gone on to lead nonprofits, pursue careers in healthcare, and serve as advocates in their own communities.<\/p>\n

\"Greater<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce’s Health Care & Life Sciences Awards.<\/p>\n

The lab\u2019s reach also extends to rural areas of Connecticut, where youth often face barriers to accessing mental health resources. Initiatives such as the regional Suicide Prevention Policy Summits in West Haven bring together legislators, healthcare professionals, students, and community leaders to drive trauma-informed policy change.<\/p>\n

An annual celebration brings together lab members to recognize their achievements of the last year, from published research to community collaborations. \u201cI want to celebrate all we did together,\u201d said Dr. Tran. \u201cI couldn\u2019t do this without the support I have each and every day, from the University, from my colleagues, from my partner, and from the students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standing before the crowd, Dr. Tran received the award with gratitude. \u201cI accept this award not just for the University of New Haven, not just for the students, but for the community members and leaders we\u2019ve had the opportunity to work with over the past seven years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Honored by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce at its annual Health Care & Life Sciences Awards,…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":82715,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[210,1141,1142,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-82714","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-care","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-health-care","10":"tag-healthcare","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114895953833569716","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}