School of Public Health students named Schweitzer Fellows

Four students from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health have been named 2021-22 Houston Galveston Schweitzer Fellows by the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston Galveston (ASFHG).

Maria Roque, Jacquita Johnson, Jonathan Thomas and Serena Joseph are among the 150 Fellows that will spend a year learning to address the unmet health needs of vulnerable communities in the area.

Roque will be partnering with Furr High School and Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Series (T.E.J.A.S.) to establish a peer education program for young people who menstruate, including a period education curriculum. Johnson is collaborating with the Brazos County Health District to develop a health equity framework to apply to vaccine equity among Black residents. Thomas and Joseph will be working with Project Unity to address social determinants of health affecting the population living with HIV to improve health outcomes.

The Fellows will complete year-long mentored community service projects in partnership with community agencies while receiving training in cultural competency, public speaking, project management and the social determinants of health. A strong focus is placed on sustainability so that the project can continue beyond the Fellowship year.

The Fellowship also provides mentoring to develop lifelong service leadership skills and advance physician-humanitarian Albert Schweitzer’s message of service.

“The 2021-2022 class of Fellows continue to build on the legacy of Albert Schweitzer with projects that address health inequities and bridge gaps in service,” said Andrea Link, MD, executive director of ASFHG. “Their passion for service and their commitment to the communities they serve is inspiring and I am excited to watch their projects unfold.”

Launched in 2008, the ASFHG is funded by private donations, the support of charitable foundations and academic institution sponsorships.