A Houston City College student helped lead a winning Tropical Medicine Summer Institute capstone project that connected global health education with the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston. The project focused on Ebola education, prevention and public safety for visitors and local residents.
Angela Moore, a first-year Health Information Technology student at HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences, joined students from Texas A&M University and Baylor University for the winning presentation. Moore is from Cypress.
Tropical Medicine Summer Institute Project Focuses on Ebola Education
The team, called Goalkeepers of Global Health United, presented its capstone project on June 12, the final day of Baylor College of Medicine’s National School of Tropical Medicine Summer Institute.
Their presentation, “Facts & Misconceptions About Ebola & the New Strain,” explained the causes of Ebola and how the disease can spread. Ebola is a severe and often fatal communicable disease. It can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.
The group also addressed public misconceptions about Ebola. Then it shifted the focus to prevention, education and safety.
Team members highlighted practical ways people can help prevent the spread of disease. One key focus was proper handwashing, which remains an important public health tool.
World Cup Theme Connects Health and Public Awareness
The team linked its global health message to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will bring visitors from around the world to Houston. The group used the event as a way to make disease prevention more relatable and timely.
“With the FIFA World Cup games happening right here in Houston and people visiting from all over the world, we saw it as an opportunity to not just develop a theme but to also promote preventive measures and help protect people from many diseases, not just Ebola,” Moore said.
To expand the project beyond the classroom, the team created infographics and an Instagram page. The account, Instagram.com/Goal_Keepers_of_Global_Health, shares public health information in an accessible format.
Moore worked on the project with Leah De La Rosa, a Texas A&M University student, and Mahi Hirpara, a Baylor University student.
HCC Coleman Hosts Final Day of Program
The National School of Tropical Medicine is based at Baylor College of Medicine. It focuses on tropical diseases that affect some of the world’s most underserved populations.
The Summer Institute is an intensive two-week program. It introduces healthcare and medical students to tropical medicine, global health, epidemiology and public health through lectures and labs.
For the capstone project, students work in teams to create a digital poster board presentation. Each project addresses a global disease and offers practical healthcare solutions.
This year’s Summer Institute ended at HCC Coleman, located in the Texas Medical Center. Five HCC Coleman students participated in the program this year. Five also participated last year, marking the first time students from a two-year college joined the institute.
Program Opens Doors for HCC Students
HCC Coleman leaders said the program gives students meaningful exposure to real-world healthcare issues.
“At HCC Coleman College, we are deeply committed to creating immersive, real-world educational experiences for our students,” said Lutricia Harrison, DNP, APRN-C, president of HCC Coleman. “Returning to the Tropical Medicine Summer Institute for a second consecutive year, and welcoming the program to our campus, is a testament to the caliber of our students and the power of the partnerships we have built. These experiences open doors and shape careers.”
Moore is also a hospital surgery scheduler and the mother of 15-year-old twin girls. She said the institute helped her better understand the broader impact of global health.
“One of the biggest lessons I learned is that these aren’t just tropical diseases – they’re global health issues that require a worldwide effort to address,” she said.
The winning project shows how students can turn public health education into practical outreach. It also highlights how major events, such as the FIFA World Cup, can create new opportunities to share life-saving health information with the community.
To learn more about healthcare programs and degrees at HCC Coleman, visit hccs.edu/coleman.