Meet the 2026-27 Columbus-Athens Schweitzer Fellows!

The Ohio State University, College of Medicine
Community partner: Columbus-area Emergency Medical Services

Betsy and Omar are partnering with Columbus-area EMS to address power tool-related injuries and early injury management in tradespeople and laborers across central Ohio. Through collaboration with orthopedic surgeons at Ohio State, they will develop educational curricula focused on reducing the frequency of these injuries in at-risk populations and improving critical early interventions by first responders. Together, these efforts aim to promote injury prevention and improve long term outcomes for individuals working with power tools.

Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Community Partner: Huckleberry House

Ramandeep and Cambria are developing a health-focused initiative in partnership with Huckleberry Houses transitional housing program in Columbus. Their project supports young adults ages 17-24 by providing interactive workshops on healthcare navigation, mental health, nutrition and wellness. Through hands-on education and connections to community resources, they aim to empower participants with the skills and confidence needed to manage their health and successfully transition to independent living.

The Ohio State University, College of Education and Human Ecology
Community partner: Mother's Trust Alliance

Kioshana LaCount Burrell is partnering with Mothers Trust Alliance (MTA) to launch Co-Designing Freedom: A Black Feminist Fellowship for Guaranteed Income, a participatory action research project that positions Black pregnant and parenting people in Columbus as the architects of economic liberation. Drawing on Black feminist methodologies and her background in workforce development, Kioshana will work alongside a cohort of co-designers to build and refine curriculum for a guaranteed income program tailored to the lived realities of Black pregnant people and new mothers. The project investigates how the act of co-designing this programming - not merely receiving it - shapes participants' sense of agency, self-efficacy, and long-term wellbeing. By centering community expertise over institutional assumption, Kioshana and MTA aim to model a form of community-engaged research that improves health and economic outcomes for Black mothers and their children by reducing stressors that derive from financial insecurity.

Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Community partner: The Run the Race Center

Ben and Will are partnering with the Run the Race Center to address health disparities in the youth of Columbuss Hilltop neighborhood. Their project, The Run the Race Initiative, aims to implement a holistic health curriculum for youth focused on nutrition, physical fitness, and mental wellness. Through consistent weekly sessions and summer camps they will provide hands-on mentorship and health literacy education to empower children with the confidence and skills necessary for a lifetime of well-being.

The Ohio State University, College of Medicine
Community partner: Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS)

Aliza and Zahra are working with Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS) to promote dermatologic health literacy and provide healthcare careers guidance for underserved immigrant youth. Through this project, they will develop interactive educational sessions tailored for elementary through high school students. Lessons will cover topics including skin hygiene, common skin conditions, sun protection, and more. For high school students, additional programming will introduce different healthcare careers and outline the pathways to these professions. By partnering with ETSS, they aim to address barriers to dermatologic health education and healthcare careers mentorship, to ultimately increase both knowledge and confidence in these areas.

The Ohio State University, College of Pharmacy
Community partner: Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center

Anitha and Maya are partnering with the Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center to support uninsured and underinsured adult refugee patients. Their project establishes a Pharmacist-Led Follow-up System dedicated to patients with chronic conditions like hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Through this initiative, they will conduct medication management and point-of-care testing during specialized evening appointments. They will also provide tailored educational materials translated into multiple languages to help overcome medication hesitancy and improve health literacy. Anitha and Maya aim to alleviate the workload on primary providers, expand the capacity of the clinic, optimize the utilization of pharmacists within the interdisciplinary team, and ultimately improve long-term health outcomes for the community.

The Ohio State University, College of Social Work
Community Partner: Encompass Adoptees

Charis is partnering with Encompass Adoptees, a non-profit organization serving youth, adults, and families with adoption experiences. The project will address mental health disparities and stigma faced by adoptees and address a gap in arts-based mental health services accessed by this population by coordinating and evaluating a community art show. The art show will feature pieces designed, executed, and presented by adoptees with the intention of offering community and support in processing challenges experiences associated with adoption through artistic mediums. Our goal is to fill gaps in arts-based services for this community, provide a platform for self-expression, community-building, and healing, as well as evaluate the impact of a community-based art show on individuals capacities to process and make sense of their adoption experiences.