April 23, 2010

Jack Allison and his wife, Sue Wilson, are shown here with friends in Nsiyaludzu, Malawi.

Jack Allison and his wife, Sue Wilson, are shown here with friends in Nsiyaludzu, Malawi.

Jack Allison, a 1966 UNC alumnus, has composed “Dedication Song” to honor the UNC public health school’s new name as of September 2008–UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

The song celebrates new possibilities for growth at the School, thanks to Dennis and Joan Gillings’ generous donation.

Allison began writing songs while serving in the Peace Corps from 1967 to 1969, when he worked in a children’s clinic in Nsiyaludzu, Nigeria. He had an urge to see the world “outside the classroom” after graduating from UNC with a chemistry degree.

His songs contained lyrics with simple lessons for new mothers, which, if followed, would improve their babies’ health.

Since his first efforts, Allison has raised more than $150,000 in charity through his music, establishing the Self Help Foundation to manage funds generated by his songs.

When he heard about the School’s name change, he took the initiative to compose “Dedication Song” to commemorate the occasion. Allison based the lyrics on key words used to promote the School’s goals, namely, anticipation, acceleration and innovation.

A copy of the CD is available upon request to anyone who makes a gift of $25 or more to the School’s global health program. For more information, contact the School’s Office of External Affairs at (919) 966-0198.

-by Jay Cartwright


 

Carolina Public Health is a publication of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health. To view previous issues, please visit www.sph.unc.edu/cph.

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