From Classroom to Community: UNF Students Gain Real-World Experience in Tobacco Prevention

A college classroom can teach students the foundations of public health, but there is something different about seeing that knowledge applied throughout the community. Through its ongoing partnership with the University of North Florida (UNF), Tobacco-Free Jacksonville provides public health students with an opportunity to gain real-world experience while contributing to tobacco prevention efforts in Duval County. At the same time, this partnership brings additional support and fresh perspectives to local tobacco prevention work.

This summer, two UNF students, one undergraduate and one graduate student, completed internships with Tobacco-Free Jacksonville, working alongside CivCom staff who support the partnership. CivCom staff provided guidance, mentorship, and support as the students worked on projects, participated in community activities, and developed their professional skills. Both students completed more than the required 150 hours and, as Tobacco-Free Jacksonville partnership members, gained a better understanding of the work involved in preventing tobacco and nicotine use in the community.

Their work touched several areas of tobacco prevention. They researched tobacco and nicotine use, reviewed local data, assessed tobacco retail environments, and contacted multi-unit housing properties to learn more about smoking and vaping policies. Their research helped Tobacco-Free Jacksonville better understand the local retail environment, including mobile vape retailers, and identify opportunities for future policy efforts.

The students also contributed to efforts to increase access to tobacco cessation resources by gathering information about local OBGYN practices, researching maternal tobacco use, and helping develop educational materials for healthcare providers. Their work provided information to support outreach and efforts to connect patients with tobacco cessation resources.

The internship also gave the students opportunities to engage with the community through local events and meetings. These experiences, along with the materials and data collected through their projects, demonstrated how research and education can translate into community outreach and policy efforts.

At the end of the summer, both students shared what they learned at UNF’s Public Health Internship and Research Showcase through poster presentations. The event brought together public health students, university staff, internship preceptors, and others from the university community. Their posters highlighted their projects and professional growth while introducing others to Tobacco-Free Jacksonville and its work in Duval County.

One student, Aliyah Yee, received first-place recognition for her poster, “Inspiring Change Through Tobacco/Vaping Prevention: A Public Health Internship at Tobacco-Free Jacksonville.” Her poster highlighted the research, data review, and educational resource development she completed during her internship.

For the students, the experience provided an opportunity to develop skills in research, communication, community outreach, and health education. For Tobacco-Free Jacksonville, their work added capacity to ongoing projects while bringing valuable perspectives from emerging public health professionals.

The continued partnership with UNF provides students with an opportunity to put what they are learning into practice while making a meaningful contribution to their community. CivCom staff will continue to support and mentor future students working with Tobacco-Free Jacksonville, creating opportunities for them to learn, contribute, and make a difference in tobacco prevention.