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Caroline O’Shea Wins First BU Values in Action Award

The Values in Action Award recognizes staff leaders whose leadership, actions, and values-driven work inspire others and contribute meaningfully to the University’s mission.

Caroline O’Shea, director of external relations in the SPH Career & Practicum Office, is the inaugural winner of the Boston University Values in Action Award, part of a new staff recognition program designed to celebrate employees whose work represents the best of BU.

The Values in Action Award award, which is accompanied by a $2,500 prize, was established to identify and recognize staff leaders whose leadership, actions, and values-driven work inspire others and contribute meaningfully to the University’s mission.

“BUSPH has a strong and dedicated network of employers, community partners, and alumni across the globe who are deeply committed to public health and to supporting our students,” says O’Shea, who began working at SPH in February 2022 after 15 years in various roles at Brandeis University. “These relationships create meaningful opportunities for experiential learning, internship and hiring pathways, and ongoing dialogue about the evolving workforce. I feel lucky to have the chance to work with them.”

The Values in Action Award is one of several new awards honoring employees whose contributions reflect the values outlined in the Living Our Values Initiative, which was launched in 2024 to “identify, embody, and promote the core principles and beliefs that unite our community and guide our decisions, behaviors, and actions in ways that foster inclusivity, integrity, and positive impact.”

“I am grateful to be part of a community that shares a commitment to public health, equity, and student success,” O’Shea says. “BU has identified career integration into the student experience as a central priority, and through ongoing conversations across the University, including [the recent] Career Summit, I am excited to continue partnering with colleagues, employers, and community stakeholders to support students throughout their academic and professional journey. It is an exciting time to be working in public health education and career development!”

The Career and Practicum Office at BUSPH works in collaboration with the larger University to organize events that host employers from across the city, state, country, and globe. Students are provided opportunities to meet employers and alumni through career and practicum fairs, information sessions, panel discussions, and networking events.

O’Shea’s office also helps students secure potential opportunities for their practicum, the required graduate-level internship that allows MPH students to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom in a real-world public health setting. The process of finding a practicum is designed to help students learn how to navigate the post-graduation job marketplace so they are better prepared to find the right job after obtaining an MPH.