February 19, 2025

By Bengucan Gunen, MSPH, PhD student and MCHSO Vice President

Last week the Maternal and Child Health Student Organization (MCHSO) co-hosted a Valentine’s Day tabling event with the Dornsife Student Government Organization (SGO) to promote self-care and sexual wellness. The event brought together students to learn about sexual health resources in Philadelphia and Drexel University, while raising funds for future MCHSO events through a bake sale.

"Sexual health is frequently overlooked or spoken about in hushed tones, creating unnecessary mystery and misunderstanding," said Disha S., a first-year MPH in Epidemiology student who serves as the MCHSO Outreach Coordinator and Dornsife SGO President. "By encouraging open conversations and providing education, we hope to break down these barriers."

At the table, students received self-care kits prepared by MCHSO, featuring essential wellness items such as lip balm, hand lotion, contraceptives, Valentine’s Day cards, and chocolates. 

Sixty goodie bags were claimed, highlighting strong student interest in self-care and sexual health. MCHSO officers also promoted an upcoming career networking event, where students can connect with public health professionals working in maternal and child health.

One of the event’s highlights was the sold-out bake sale, where over 50 baked goods were sold, raising funds to support future maternal and child health-related events. The bake sale was a sweet success, showcasing the community’s enthusiasm for supporting MCHSO’s mission and raising funds for upcoming initiatives focused on maternal and child health.

"We appreciate the enthusiasm of our peers and the support from faculty in helping to create a space for awareness and empowerment," said Disha.

To learn more about MCHSO or get involved, students can follow the group on on Instagram @Drexel_mchso or request to join the group on Dragonlink. For questions, email President Shriya Prasannan (sap439@drexel.edu) or Vice President Bengucan Gunen (bg594@drexel.edu). MCHSO welcomes all students passionate about maternal and child health to participate in future events and initiatives.

About the Maternal and Child Health Program

Dornsife's Maternal and Child Health Program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

Learn more about Dornsife's MCH program and upcoming MCH events.