Albany Day Gives Students a Chance to Advocate for Health
For the third straight year, students traveled to Albany in early February to get hands-on experience in the state legislature where they learned about the legislative process and advocated for health policies they care about. Previously limited to Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons or Mailman students, for the first time, the Albany Day event, brought students from across Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), including Columbia Nursing and the College of Dental Medicine.
Over the course of the day, the Albany Day contingent of 23 Columbia students met with five different Assembly members representing various New York City districts, as well as with Chloe Coffman, senior health policy advisor to Governor Kathy Hochul, and James V. McDonald, New York State Commissioner of Health, among others. Students were introduced on the New York State Assembly Floor, observed budget hearings and Health Committee meetings, and had a chance to walk up the famous Million Dollar Staircase.
The group of students attended a mandatory training on advocacy and developed a 20-page policy advocacy document which they presented to elected officials, covering bills on topics ranging from reproductive health care and maternal health to youth mental health services, food justice, mentoring for health care professionals, and opioid use harm reduction, among other topics. Some students arranged their own meetings with elected officials, and all had the opportunity to quickly pitch policymakers on their favorite bills.
Michelle Ojo, a DNP student at Columbia Nursing, advocated for bills on expanded health-care access and clinician preceptor incentives. She spoke with Coffman about the growing need for youth mental health services. “Using my experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner student, I advocated for bills addressing the lack of providers and long wait times adolescents face when seeking mental health services,” she said. “Participating in Albany Day was an empowering experience. Engaging with legislators and policymakers as residents, constituents, and healthcare professionals in New York allowed us to educate each other and advocate for healthcare policies.”
Beza Ketema, an MPH student at Columbia Mailman, advocated for Assembly Bill A719, which would amend the state constitution to add the prevention and mitigation of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as a public concern. During a health committee proceeding Ketema and other observers, stood on the perimeter of the room while legislators discussed various agenda items. Ketema said she learned a great deal, saying, the experience “taught me how to make targeted advocacy pitches to state legislators in a compelling way.” At the same time, she appreciated the chance to learn the ins and outs of a health committee proceeding, a takeaway she says “will be invaluable to future lobbying efforts I hope to participate in.”
Divya Aggarwal, a DDS student in the College of Dental Medicine, came away from Albany Day with a new appreciation for the legislative process, and not least of all, how to participate in the proceedings. “I learned that I as a dental student have a right to raise my voice and I loved that elected officials or their members of staff were open to listening to what we had to say,” she said, adding that engaging with legislators and government officials is “much needed for improvement in medical practice and patient outcomes.”
Ross Frommer, Vice President of Government Affairs at CUIMC, who spearheaded and organized Albany Day in collaboration with faculty and staff at each of the four CUIMC schools, said Albany Day is about more than specific policy debates. “It is important that students know that they have a voice,” he said, adding, “Through experiences like Albany Day they can learn how to use that voice to advocate for themselves, their communities, their professions, and their patients. At the same time, policymakers enjoy and benefit from hearing from our students.”
Heather Krasna, Columbia Mailman’s Associate Dean for Career and Professional Development, who has joined students since the second Albany Day in 2024, said the experience gives students valuable insights they can apply throughout their careers, saying, “In today’s tumultuous political environment, public health students must understand the policy process at the state and local level. Albany Day is one of the best ways to expose students to that process.”
