The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (ASF) of Alabama announced the recipients of its 2025 Outstanding Academic Mentor and Outstanding Community Site Mentor awards. A distinction of the Fellowship is the cross-sector collaboration between academics and the community, as seen in the recognition of outstanding mentors who played critical roles in the success of Schweitzer Fellows. Dr. Janene Sims of UAB’s School of Optometry and Dr. Ronald Bayles of the Titusville Development Corporation are recognized in honor of their exemplary commitment to their ASF Fellow mentees. 

The Outstanding Mentor award recipients will be honored at ASF’s Celebration of Service event on April 12, 2025, alongside the graduating 2024-25 class of ASF Fellows, composed of 20 graduate students from Auburn University, the University of Montevallo, Samford University and UAB. 

This year’s Outstanding Academic Mentor Award recipient, Dr. Sims serves as the Primary Care Residency Supervisor for UAB optometry students. 

Dr. Sim’s is the academic mentor to Malia McDowell, a 2024-25 ASF Fellow in UAB’s School of Optometry. McDowell partnered with the Community of Hope Health Clinic to allow the clinic’s established patients receive free in-house eye care by licensed providers. McDowell’s project targeted patients with a history of diabetes, hypertension and other systemic diseases that can cause ocular complications. A surgical referral and vision correction glasses network was also implemented to address the patient’s visual needs completely. 

When nominating Dr. Sims, McDowell recounts: “I remember meeting with Dr. Sims when I was first accepted as a fellow. I told her my big ambitious ideas that I was unsure of. Dr. Sims kindly and softly redirected me to CHHC. She could have easily crushed my spirit but instead responded with positivity that made me listen and follow her; this led to my successful fellowship journey. … Dr. Sims taught me endurance this year. She always seems to compliment me when I am tired and academically drained. She gives me motivation to keep going when there are over a million things to do. I am very grateful for the relationship I formed with Dr. Sims this year and I know she will help me with my future endeavors.” 

This year’s Outstanding Community Site Mentor Award recipient, Dr. Ronald Bayles serves as the Executive Director of the Titusville Development Corporation, a 501(c)3 Community Housing Development Corporation that has a vision of maintaining, revitalizing and developing the Titusville Community. Created in 1984 by residents of the prominent African American community, the organization offers several programs including affordable housing development; food pantry; critical housing repair for seniors and low-income families; financial literacy; home buyers workshops; senior programs; and Meals on Wheels for the elderly. His mentee, 2024-25 ASF Fellow Elizabeth “Liz” Perry, who is working on her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at UAB School of Nursing, spent the year addressing fall-related injuries in the Titusville Community by implementing a fall prevention program to enhance knowledge of fall risks, assessments to identify risks and interventions to reduce the future of occurrence of falls within individuals 65 years and older.

Perry reflected on the ways Dr. Bayles contributed to her personal and professional growth this year.

“Dr. Bayles has provided me with the guidance and wisdom to recognize the need to establish personal boundaries while not feeling a sense of lack of accomplishment while doing so. … His consistent reassurance of my ability to be successful even in the midst of setbacks provided me with the support and encouragement needed to maintain a positive outlook. … His willingness to help, commitment to his community and belief in my project all align with a mentor who epitomizes what I believe the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship hopes all of their fellows experience. My project has been tremendously successful but I can not take complete credit for the outcome. It would not have been possible without the unwavering support of Dr. Bayles. He is beyond worthy of this acknowledgement.” 

This year’s awards are generously sponsored by UAB’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), a faithful supporter of ASF. CCTS Director Dr. Orlando Guitierrez expressed his team’s excitement to again partner with the Schweitzer Fellowship to honor outstanding mentorship of graduate students in health disciplines. 

“We share the Schweitzer Fellowship’s commitment to promoting health equity by working to reduce the disproportionate burden of chronic disease and the impact of adverse social determinants of health affecting local communities,” said Dr. Guitierrez. “We believe a key way to accomplish this mission is by recognizing positive mentor/mentee relationships between individuals who are more established in their scientific careers – with expertise and experience to share – and those in the next generation of translational scientists. This award was a natural way for us to demonstrate our commitment to supporting effective mentorship, particularly in a program that also mirrors other values our Center strives toward, such as community engagement, multidisciplinary training, cultural diversity and leadership development.”

In addition to the Outstanding Mentor awards, ASF also recognizes its Outstanding Community Educator and Outstanding Community Advisory Board member. This year’s Outstanding Community Educator is the Equal Justice Initiative Health Clinic in Montgomery. The clinic provides free screenings and services to people released from jail or prison and services to other vulnerable populations. Ryan Pratt, clinic nurse, Mikaela Dedona, clinic manager, and Dr. Lawrence Brack, a visiting ophthalmologist, shared with the 2024-25 ASF Fellows how the daily operations address social determinants of health and how to utilize a person-centered model of care during the group’s Fall Retreat.

The Community Advisory Boards serve as a connection to the fellow’s chosen community ensuring the projects are focused on community-identified needs and providing valuable input that will lead to a greater chance of sustainability. This year’s Outstanding Community Advisory Board member is LaDonna Brendle, who served as a CAB member to 2024-25 ASF Fellow Eileen Knott. Knott facilitated a learning community for people with past lived experience of homelessness who were interested in developing a feedback loop for the Continuum of Care serving Montgomery County. 

The Outstanding Community Educator and Outstanding Community Advisory Board member will also be recognized at the April 12th Celebration of Service.