About Us

About us

"Leadership means to do the hard thing and humble myself. Knowing I will never know everything and I can learn something from EVERYONE."

—Grace-Anna Perry, 2025-26 Fellow

Launched in 2015, the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama is one of 10 active Schweitzer program sites nationwide, committed to shaping the next generation of leaders in health and service.

Our Fellows — competitively selected graduate and professional students from universities across the state — represent a wide range of disciplines. United by a passion for equity, they partner with communities to tackle health disparities and create lasting change where it’s needed most.

See Our Impact

Opened in

Students

0 %

Graduation rate of our student

Faculty

Our Impact

Since 2015, 145 Schweitzer Fellows have dedicated over 30,000 hours of service to Alabama’s most vulnerable communities. Working hand-in-hand with 89 community-based partners across 12 counties, Fellows design and lead projects that put direct service at the center.

Their work spans every dimension of health — physical, mental, and social well-being — and tackles the root causes of disparities through a focus on the social determinants of health.

Health Focus Areas

Physical Health/Health Education

Learn More

Nutrition education and cooking classes for kids and their parents
Hand hygiene and physical activity for young adults with developmental disabilities
Emergency preparedness for K-12 teachers to use AED/CPR for cardiac arrests
Medication adherence programs
Walking groups to address obesity
Vaccination service for under-insured at risk of preventable diseases
HIV/STI testing using a mobile testing unit to overcome transportation/geographic barriers
Health coaching for individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension

Mental Health

Learn More

Support group for caregivers of children with neuromuscular disabilities
Bibliotherapy group to improve coping skills of youth in alternative school setting
Meditation and yoga groups targeting youth in public housing communities
Patient navigation to increase retention of pediatric patients needing follow-up mental health services
Drug resistance education aimed at middle school youth to reduce the risk of initiating opiate and other substance abuse

Social Determinants

Learn More

Mentorship for high school students who are under-represented in health-related fields
Referrals to early-intervention programs for children with developmental delays
Financial literacy for low-income families
Screening for and referrals to community resources to increase medication access

Want To See The Impact In Action?

Explore the wide range of Fellows and Projects led by current and past Schweitzer Fellows. Each Fellow’s journey doesn’t end after their first year — they join the Schweitzer Fellows for Life network, a community of more than 4,000 alumni worldwide who carry forward a shared commitment to health equity and service.

Here in Alabama, our program is sustained entirely by charitable gifts and grants from generous supporters. Your donation directly fuels the work of Fellows and helps meet the health needs of communities across the state. Together, we can make a lasting difference.

View Fellows and Projects