Good Times: At a Feb. 5, 1936 party, students paint the town sepia.

1916/2016: A Century of Saving Lives

The Bloomberg School has a full slate of Centennial celebration events.

Story by Jackie Powder • Photograph courtesy of the Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives

One hundred years: As birthdays go, it’s a big one.

The Centennial of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is upon us, and the School is celebrating with a year’s worth of events befitting the oldest, largest and No. 1-ranked school of public health.

The arrival of the Centennial MPH Class of 2016 on JUNE 29 kicked off the historic year. Our celebrations continue through 2016 with a diverse lineup of events, programs and conversations that will highlight 100 years of lifesaving work and look ahead to the next century of public health.

Here’s a roadmap to the celebrations ahead!

Centennial Celebration Events

"The work that goes on in the Bloomberg School’s labs, classrooms and field sites around the world is awe-inspiring. Throughout this Centennial year, we’re looking forward to celebrating the past and, even more importantly, planning for the future." » Dean Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH ’87

Department Feature Months

Each of the School’s departments will hold its own Centennial-focused events and programs during a designated month to showcase its unique history and accomplishments in the evolution of the School. (The MPH Program and the Department of Health, Behavior and Society held events in July and September 2015, respectively.)

• Mental Health: October 2015
• Epidemiology: November 2015
• Biostatistics and International Health: February 2016
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Health Policy and Management: March 2016
• Environmental Health Sciences; and W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology: April 2016
• Population, Family and Reproductive Health: May 2016

Memorable Moments

• Public Health Displays
  Innovative displays throughout the School’s two main buildings on the East Baltimore campus will document a century of School milestones and the challenges ahead.
• The Future of Public Health
  Symposia, town halls and other events at the School will identify future public health priorities and potential solutions—globally and here in Baltimore.
• Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Collaboration
  “The Hidden World of Girls,” a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concert in partnership with the Center for Public Health and Human Rights, is slated for May 6, 2016.
• Happy Birthday!
  Faculty, staff and students will nosh Centennial birthday cake at a bash on June 13, 2016—the School’s official birthday.

Around the World in 100 Dinners

We’re inviting our global network of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends to join the Centennial celebrations through 100 Dinners around the world. Whether in Bangladesh, Beijing or Baltimore, the extended Bloomberg School community can take part by hosting or attending a Centennial dinner. Interested? Visit the Centennial 100 Dinners page for project details, including a “toolkit” on hosting a dinner, and find a Centennial meal near you.

Centennial Connection

Wait, there’s more — Watch the Dean’s welcome video on the Centennial website, where you’ll also find detailed information about the year ahead and how to get involved.

A New Hope: Bunda, a mother in Aceh, Indonesia, looks to her child as her future hope.

A Plan for the Future

Update: International Conference on Family Planning postponed.

Editor's note: The 2015 International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in Nusa Dua, Indonesia has been postponed due to a volcanic eruption on the neighboring island of Lombok. The difficult decision to postpone the conference was made after a volcanic ash cloud forced the closure of the Denpasar Airport for three days, affecting the timely arrival of thousands of participants and dignitaries.

Story by Marianne Amoss • Photography by Hari Fitri Putjuk

After years on the sidelines of the global development agenda, family planning has made a comeback—thanks, in part, to compelling data about its impact on the health of women and children, communities and countries. From NOVEMBER 9-12, several thousand advocates, researchers, policymakers and program implementers will gather in Indonesia for the fourth International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP), co-hosted by the National Population and Family Planning Board of Indonesia and the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the Bloomberg School. With a focus on “Global Commitments, Local Actions,” conference attendees will share knowledge and strategies for meeting more of the global demand for contraceptive information, services and supplies—an essential part of sustainable development. 

More Info on the ICFP: fpconference.org