Haynes Recognized for Commitment to Public Health Students
| Tiffany Haynes, Ph.D., is passionate about serving Arkansans. One of the ways she does this is through her duties as faculty in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health.
Her colleagues have taken notice of her efforts.
As a result, Haynes, an associate professor in the college’s Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, was a 2024 UAMS Chancellor’s Award for Educational Excellence honoree.
“It felt amazing to be among the educators recognized,” she said. “With all my classes, I make sure I’m preparing the students to go into the world and do quality work. The idea of someone else noticing what I’m doing and how impactful it can be for the students means a lot to me.”
Haynes, who’s been with the college since 2014, said the award is proof that she’s doing the right thing, properly educating people about the methods to address health disparities.
“I love teaching because it’s a way for me to give back,” Haynes said. “I’m multiplying the potential impact we can have on improving the health of Arkansans.”
“When we have a class discussion, and the students then apply what we’ve discussed to their personal life or professional career — that lets me know that I’m in the right lane,” she said. “It gives me a sense of fulfillment. It reminds me that I’m doing what I’m supposed to do because I’m empowering our students to be a part of the change for tomorrow.”
Haynes’ background factors heavily into her desire to be a catalyst for change.
Tiffany Haynes, Ph.D., enjoys a laugh with a community member while attending an Arkansas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness event.
A native of Forrest City, Arkansas, Haynes earned her bachelor’s from Xavier University of Louisiana, a historically Black university in New Orleans. She then earned her master and doctoral degrees at the University of Michigan.
Whether it’s in her Arkansas Delta hometown, in New Orleans or in Michigan — Haynes has seen and learned plenty about public health disparities. Those experiences fuel her desire to make a difference. She is dedicated to helping her students develop a similar passion for service.
“At the College of Public Health, we aim to improve the health of Arkansas’ residents,” Haynes said. “That means my health, my family members’ health, my friends, my community. Therefore, I take my role as an educator personally. I want to make sure that when our students graduate, they’re able to fulfill the mission of the college as that mission impacts the people I love.
“Teaching public health, it’s a personal situation for me. I work hard to prepare the students to make a positive, lasting impact in the community. So I was honored to receive the award.”