U.S. News & World Report has ranked FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work’s public health program for the first time in the college’s history, under the leadership of Dean Tomás R. Guilarte.
The School of Public Health moved from the honorable mention category in 2015 - the last time the magazine ranked public health schools across the nation - to 78 out of 113, with an additional 60 programs in the honorable mention category. The School of Public Health ranked 49th among public universities.
“This recognition by our peers in the field is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all of our faculty and staff who ensure that our students receive the highest level of education and have access to groundbreaking research opportunities,” Guilarte said. “Having our public health program ranked was a goal that I started working on even before I arrived at FIU. It is a critically important accomplishment that recognizes excellence and allows us to take our place in public health education in Miami and throughout South Florida.”
In addition, Stempel College’s School of Social Work was ranked No. 77 among peer programs – an 11- point improvement. The School of Social Work was ranked No. 53 among public universities.
“The rise in the rankings is representative of the commitment that we have to our students and the community,” said Mary Helen Hayden, 
director of the School of Social Work. “We are thrilled to see our college being recognized once again as we continue to help our students learn and succeed.”
Since joining Stempel College three years ago, Guilarte has emphasized research and student success.
“This is an exciting time to be at Stempel College as we develop new degree programs and international partnerships that will extend the college’s reach and give us new opportunities for our research as well as student and faculty exchange,” Guilarte said. “Since I arrived at the college in January 2016, our Master of Public Health (MPH) program has grown by 62 percent and we have launched a fully online MPH. We have significantly increased our research portfolio from $6.2 million in total award actions in 2016, to an amount that is now projected to surpass $23 million in 2019- and we plan to keep growing!"
For more about FIU’s Top 100 ranked programs, please click here .