Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Mack.
Whitney, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hi, I’m Whitney Mack. I serve as the Program Coordinator II of the College of Nursing for Prairie View A&M University’s Wellness in Houston. PVAMU Wellness in Houston’s mission is to address health disparities and food insecurities by promoting health, wellness, and nutrition to limited-resource communities in the Greater Houston area, ultimately encouraging healthy, long-term lifestyle changes and behaviors.
PVAMU Wellness in Houston comprises of four of PVAMU’s colleges that work collaboratively to curate programming that stems from a portfolio of educational, healthcare assessment, and outreach programs. These four colleges are: The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, the College of Nursing, the College of Juvenile Justice and Psychology, and the College of Business.
I’ve been interested in health since high school, where I was a student of The Academy of Health Careers at Lafayette High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. The academy provided academic and vocational skills to gain a real-world perspective of healthcare. I loved it, and knew I wanted a profession in health care. After studying Health and Human Performance in college, I worked as a paraprofessional educator for students in Special Education and gained adaptability, CPR, and first aid skills. This role inspired me to achieve my master’s in public health with knowledge to provide ideas and solutions for health issues that affect limited-resource communities. Also, competencies and skills to plan, implement and evaluate health promotion. I am proud to be a part of this amazing organization and honored to help address health disparities in Greater Houston.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. One challenge I faced while studying for my master’s was experiencing opportunities in 2020 due to the pandemic. I started as the Family and Community Health Extension Associate for PVAMU Wellness in Houston in 2021. My role was to conduct workshops of nutrition, money management, and financial literacy in communities. Many of our programs were virtual by raising awareness about healthy-living programs and health-service available to residents.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Prairie View A&M University’s Wellness in Houston – College of Nursing offers programs to help identify intervention strategies for self-care related to diabetes, blood pressure, and other common conditions. I am proud to be an advocate in the community for the College of Nursing. Also, provide opportunities for our students to gain skills in community health.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
For more information, contact wellnesshouston@pvamu.edu about any upcoming programs and partnership opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pvamu.edu/cahs/pwh/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pvwellnesshou/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pvamutriag
Image Credits
Tekedra Pierre
Steven Berry
Nkem Anyasinti
