Over the next year, these students will join approximately 260 other 2011-2012 Schweitzer Fellows across the country in conceptualizing and carrying out service projects that address the health needs of underserved individuals and communities.
The recipients and their projects:
- Sarah Dilley will implement a comprehensive maternal smoking cessation program.
- Sashana Gordon will work with area children to create a fun health and fitness resource that includes healthy recipes, access to web links and fun workout sessions.
- M. Tyler King and Manisha Patel will work to promote healthy behaviors by creating an annual 5K/10K-run/walk and health fair in collaboration with the IU School of Medicine Medical Student Council.
- Casey Robertson will work with the Starfish Initiative to empower vulnerable youth to pursue careers in the health sciences by providing students with workshops and mentoring related to health professional opportunities.
- Sangeeta Sakaria will work to educate Latino adolescents on issues related to nutrition and healthy lifestyles in collaboration with the Pecar Health Center.
In addition to providing a $3,000 annual stipend for each Fellow, the program offers mentoring, monthly meetings and leadership development trainings. Upon completion of their initial year, these six students will become “Schweitzer Fellows for Life” and join a network of more than 2,000 individuals who are skilled in, and committed to, addressing the health needs of underserved people throughout their careers as professionals.