Slide 5

"The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship has been a great year full of learning experiences, successes, and failures. In my opinion, the most vital leadership development was learning how to continue after failures or denials. There was a point in the fellowship year where I had not received one positive milestone, but I continued to have meetings with stakeholders and share my pitch... My willingness to not give up on my interventions can be carried into my career and future service projects. I know there is a need. I will not stop telling people and serving until there’s not a need anymore.”

HARLEY MOORE

Fellow for Life, 2020-21

Slide 3

“As a future physician it is my duty to learn the art of medicine, which is the balance between science and human compassion. The Schweitzer Fellowship has provided me the opportunity to develop this skill as I served my community and as Dr. Schweitzer said, ‘The purpose of human life is to serve.’”

MADILYN TOMASO

Fellow for Life, 2018-19

Slide 4

“ASF served as a constant reminder of why I entered the heathcare profession – to help people. It never ceased to amaze me how eager families were to learn at my cooking and nutrition classes each week. Their genuine appreciation…inspired me weekly to develop lesson plans that were both enjoyable and impactful.”

HAMILTON BEHLEN

Fellow for Life, 2017-18

Slide 1

"The greatest lesson I was taught through this experience was that the best way to incite a change in the world, is by you yourself stepping up and becoming that changing force."

JASMINE GRAYSON

Fellow for Life, 2017-18

Slide 2

"As a result of participating in this program, I was able to get to know a population of children that are often misunderstood as being ‘bad’ kids. I learned that these at-risk youth are children who face a lot of challenges and take on responsibilities at home that the average child does not – so much so that going to school every day is a big accomplishment. I plan…to contribute to the knowledge base within the counseling profession about at-risk youth and using literature in therapy. I would not have had this opportunity without the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship."

JENNIFER PAYNE

Fellow for Life, 2017-18

Alabama Fellows & Projects

Current Fellows: 2022-23

Jamie Davison
UAB Heersink School of Medicine

The goal of Jamie’s project is to decrease the digital divide by working one-on-one with patients of the University of Alabama Providing Access to Healthcare (PATH) Clinic to address their individual digital literacy goals. Building upon a grant the PATH Clinic was awarded to distribute smartphones to patients without them, Jamie will work one-on-one to improve their digital literacy and health literacy skills. Smartphone access gives people who are PATH Clinic patients the ability to make more contact with their support networks through phone calls, texts, video chats, and social media. It also gives them access to certain apps that they can use to improve their health, such as calorie counter apps, mindfulness apps, and even bluetooth glucometer monitoring. Ultimately, Jamie anticipates that increasing digital literacy and access to health-supporting apps will lead to improvements in health outcomes, as well.

Leandra Durham
UAB School of Health Professions

Durham is addressing diabetes in people with disabilities and the aging population in the United States by adapting and adding additional nutrition education modules to the Diabetes Empowerment Education Program. This program will be piloted among Lakeshore Foundation members starting in May 2022. The program will be adapted to be inclusive using the Guidelines, Recommendations, Adaptations, Including Disability (GRAIDs) framework. Additional nutrition modules will be created for participants interested in learning more about nutrition and diabetes prevention, nutrition and diabetes management, and nutrition for the caregivers. The aim is to improve diabetes management, create a community for shared experiences, and empower people with prediabetes, diabetes, and their caregivers.

Community sites: National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability and Lakeshore Foundation.

Kimberly Eaton
UAB School of Public Health

Eaton is addressing the mental health of parents who have lost a child to cancer by providing them an avenue to share what they have learned with families who are entering end-of-life care. By helping other families in similar situations, grieving parents have an opportunity to find meaning in their child’s death, which can give their life purpose. In addition, the educational materials created through this project will help inform medical staff and the community on how to best support these families. Eaton will also develop a strategic plan for her community site partner with the goal of continuing to build on these educational materials in the future.

Community Site: Angel’s Hope

Chelsea Gayre
Auburn University College of Nursing

Gayre is addressing rural health disparities in Union Springs, Alabama, by establishing specialty care consultations for primary care patients using a telemedicine platform. Bullock County Hospital will partner with Vital Engine, LLC. in an effort to improve health outcomes and satisfaction in patients in need of cardiac care. Education will encourage participants to engage in their healthcare in an effort to build healthier and productive communities.

Community Site: Bullock County Hospital

Micah Grey and Joi Chinakwe
Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy; Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy

Chinakwe and Grey will address health disparities in rural areas by implementing the Junior Healthcare Leaders of Alabama initiative at Notasulga High School. The purpose of the program is to provide the students foundational knowledge to manage their own health, skills to handle emergency situations, and inspiration for students to pursue a career in healthcare. Within Alabama, it is common for rural areas to experience less health education. In turn, this results in a decrease in medication adherence, an increased chance of adverse drug events, and mismanagement of health. The long-term goal of our program is to target these factors through health literacy in young adults in order to decrease recorded negative health outcomes within the area.

Community Site: Notasulga High School and TUSKEGEE-MACON COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC.

Trinity Houston
UAB Heersink School of Medicine/ UAB School of Public Health

Houston is addressing the effects of gun violence on mental health by conducting an in-school program for 7th and 8th graders at Tarrant High School. The program will focus on providing interactive sessions regarding healthy coping mechanisms, anger-management, conflict-resolution skills, and effective self-care practices. The goal of the program is to foster mental and emotional development while emphasizing good decision making in hopes of reducing future gun violence among our youth.

Community Site: Impact Family Counseling

Madison Jeziorski
UAB Heersink School of Medicine

Madison is addressing the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness by assisting in the establishment and analysis of Safe Sleep Area (SSA) in Birmingham, Alabama. Madison will collect survey data and conduct interviews with people using the shelters during the initial implementation of SSA for people displaced during the Birmingham World Games. Using this data, Madison will begin the process of finding a permanent location for the new SSA program in coordination with One Roof. This will create a new, safe housing option that decreases stress and safety concerns regarding finding shelter each night and allows participants to consistently engage with shelter programs designed to provide a variety of support for people experiencing homelessness.

Community Site: One Roof

Zoie McIntosh and Dara Johnson
UAB School of Dentistry; UAB School of Dentistry

Johnson and McIntosh are addressing childhood caries in Birmingham by designing a nutrition education and oral hygiene instruction curriculum as a part of the MHRC’s Healthy Happy Kids Elementary program. In addition to teaching children the importance of good nutrition and proper oral hygiene, their work will also involve building a referral system for students in need of a dental home with the Sidney B. Finn Pediatric Dentistry Clinic at the UAB School of Dentistry and promotion of a nutritionally sound and oral health conscious diet through a promotional campaign between Healthy Happy Kids partner schools and their surrounding grocery stores.

Community Site: UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC)

Eric Mussell and Collin Dorner
UAB Heersink School of Medicine & UAB Collat School of Business; UAB School of Nursing

Eric and Collin will be assisting with the already existing Changed Lives Mobile Clinic (CLMC). The CLMC is a charitable primary care clinic managed through a partnership between the UAB School of Nursing and the Foundry Ministries. The project will address medication adherence issues to improve primary care outcomes of the residents at the Changed Lives Christian Center (CLCC) and the Foundry Farm (FF). Residents of these facilities are males in substance use recovery who vary widely in age and with a variety of chronic health conditions and mental illnesses that have often gone untreated for many years prior to their arrival to these treatment facilities. The UAB School of Nursing has been involved with the CLCC and FF for 5 years and while the scope of practice has continued to grow, medication adherence has been a routine issue. It is their goal to implement counseling that not only helps health literacy but also implements a system that tracks overall chronic health with retinal exams, vital sign trends, as well as all other pertinent lab values.

Community Site: Changed Lives Christian Center (CLCC) and Foundry Farm (FF)

Renee Pan
Auburn University College of Education

Pan is working with young adults with disabilities including their caregivers to address their special needs in the Auburn, Opelika area by using assistive technology to improve their quality of life. In addition to enhancing youths’ time management, medication management, nutritional awareness, and social interaction skills, this health and wellness project aims to support each student to achieve their specific goals for the next chapter in their lives with a holistic and person-centered approach. The ultimate goal of the project will not only encourage a higher level of independence as they transition with disabilities into a working environment or continue their education, but also provide a channel for the participants to establish senses of self-advocacy, self-determination, and empowerment.

Community Site: BraveHeart Center for Place and Purpose

Gnyata Patel
UAB Heersink School of Medicine

Patel is addressing the mental health of caregivers of pediatric leukemia/lymphoma patients. This project will focus on first recognizing mental health barriers in this population and then connecting caregivers and patients to free resources as well as mental health providers. The project will aim to foster healthy coping strategies and provide emotional and social support for this population.

Community Site: Hope and Cope Psychosocial Educational Program at Children’s of Alabama

Angel Perry-Jackson
University of Montevallo, College of Education

Angel will be addressing the mental health needs of Black girls and women ages 20-60 in Birmingham and surrounding areas. The need is based on promoting and creating education and access for the community, while trying to increase the number of Black and brown clinicians. The goal is to reduce stigmas surrounding mental health and increase understanding and access to mental health services through educational workshops, empowerment sessions, and treatment options.

Community Site: No More Martyrs

Salomon Roman Soto and Yolanda Amezaga
UAB Heersink School of Medicine; UAB Heersink School of Medicine

The Community of Hope Health Clinic is a free healthcare clinic that offers mental health services once a week. Currently, the clinic experiences a 60% no-show rate of patients who scheduled an appointment. Amezaga and Roman-Soto seek to improve appointment adherence by changing the perception surrounding mental health and its treatment. They intend to improve mental health outcomes by promoting patient education and informing clinic providers on the best practices to address its stigma. Ultimately, Yolanda and Salomon strive to see an increase in appointment adherence which will lead to an increase in treatment, counseling, and continued follow-up with the clinic. They aim to create a ripple in the movement to address mental health stigma and advance mental health outcomes in this population.

Community Site: Community of Hope Health Clinic

Andres Tovar
Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy

Tovar is addressing substance use disorder education in Auburn by partnering with the Lee County Youth Development Center (LCYDC). In order to have the most impact, he will spend time each week in a classroom setting with a specific student population that has been processed into the facility due to substance abuse issues. While acting under the authority of a student pharmacist, he will aid the professor by answering questions and being an active mentor with the goal of building good rapport both as a presenter and future healthcare worker. After a month of getting to know the students, he will begin a 4 week period wherein he will present on the topics of substance use disorder (week one), alcohol use (week two), tobacco and marijuana use (week three) and opioid use (week four). In order to gauge success of the presentations, attitudes and knowledge will be quantified through anonymous pre and post-seminar surveys given on week one and four respectively. Pamphlets with local resources and a summary of information will also be provided. The goal is to educate, kindle hope and subsequently reduce recidivism due to substance use in the adolescent population.

*Community Site:* Lee County Youth Development Center

Anthony Wilson and Mack Bozman
UAB Heersink School of Medicine; UAB Heersink School of Medicine

Bozman and Wilson will create an organization for mentoring/tutoring fatherless youth and underserved young men and women in Huntsville and surrounding areas. Through the counseling department at Grissom High School, they will address fatherlessness and potential consequences on youth. Their work will create a model for mentorship that strengthens relationships in the lives of the students in the program. Sessions will address leadership, life-skills, college readiness, and social-emotional well-being .

Community Site: Grissom High School

Fellows For Life: 2021-22

Ibukun Afon
UAB School of Health Professions (Health Services Administration)

Academic Mentor: Dr. Shauntice Allen
Site Mentor: T. Marie King
Site: Jones Valley Teaching Farm/Woodlawn United

Ibukun facilitated intergenerational dialogues with community members living in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Birmingham and student apprentices from Jones Valley Teaching Farm. These courageous conversations were rooted in sharing experiences and perspectives about mental health and well-being, activism, food and nutrition, and so much more. The purpose of his project was to address social isolation and loneliness, especially stemming from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of the program, both older adults (super adults as we like to call them) along with the student apprentices expressed improved social connection based on pre- and post-survey results from the Lubben Social Network Scale.

“This has been an enriching experience and I look forward to sustaining these relationships with matriarchs and mentees through ongoing engagement at SocialVenture and Jones Valley Teaching Farm. I’ve learned about the importance of servant leadership, active listening, and the power of community. I would be honored if an incoming ASF Fellow adopts this project in an effort to continue connecting with our local communities!”

Afon_FinalPoster.pptx-1 Download

Jenai Bostic and Carolyn Grace Griffin
UAB School of Dentistry

Academic mentor: Dr. Augusto Robles
Site Mentor: Dr. Stephen Mitchell
Community Site: Sparks Dental Clinic

Jenai and Carolyn Grace shadowed at Sparks Dental Clinic to see patients who have autism, Down’s Syndrome, and cerebral palsy. They utilized these shadowing times to collect information on patients needs, clinic procedures and more in order to then better prepare current dental students on how to give proper dental care to this patient population. In addition, they used a common tool for communicating with individuals with autism–a storyboard, this one focused on going to the dentist–to create a video that can be used for patients and caregivers to give patients more comfort about what to expect.

As a result of their program:

Current dental students will receive additional instruction prior to their Sparks Clinic rotation beginning in Fall 2022, thereby raising their awareness of treating patients with intellectual disabilities
Current patients and caregivers have an additional tool to feel more comfortable prior to coming to their appointment

“*We encourage everyone to use your passion to make an impact. The passion we have for serving this very special population will help us make an impact going forward*.”

Jenai-and-CG-poster-ASF-1 Download

Tanya Correya
UAB School of Medicine

Academic Mentor: Dr. Kimberly Hoover, MD
Site Mentor: Dr. Connie Hill, PhD
Site: Girls Inc of Central Alabama

Tanya addressed the lack of access to feminine hygiene products in Alabama middle schools by providing sanitary pad dispensers and refills to Girls Inc and middle schools. She designed and implemented an educational seminar series for young girls about menstrual care and hygiene. This included having OB/GYNs as guest speakers and providing additional resources for the girls, their families, and schools. The sessions were interactive, so the girls actively participated and asked any questions they had, both verbally if they felt comfortable or through anonymous notes. She conducted hands-on menstrual kit sessions where she provided materials and guided the girls on making their own kits, including different sizes of pads, hand sanitizer, and deodorant.

As a result of the program:

Provided 2 feminine hygiene dispensers and 6 boxes of pad refills with 250 pads per box, among Girls Inc, Jones Valley middle school and Huffman middle school.
Taught 64 girls about menstrual care
Provided 31 menstrual care kits
Provided printed handouts and list of resources for girls and their families
Compiled and provided the menstrual care curriculum to Girls Inc staff, and counselors at Jones Valley, and Huffman middle schools so they can continue using it for future classes.

“The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship allowed me the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. I greatly appreciate my mentors Dr. Kim Hoover and Dr. Connie Hill, who provided me with invaluable guidance and support. I learned that persistence and patience pay off in the long run. As a result of the experience I gained, I will continue to identify and assess needs in my community and approach complex issues with a problem-solving mindset. As a future healthcare professional, I plan to always put patients’ specific needs first to ensure I provide the best possible care.”

TanyaCorreya-1 Download

Jennifer Goolsby
University of Montevallo, College of Education and Human Development (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)

Academic Mentor: Dr. James Jackson
Site Mentor: Dr. Judith Harrington
Site: University of Montevallo Counseling Clinic/Shelby County Schools

Jenni provided counseling to a cohort of ten administrators as well as nine other leaders who reached out for support. In September, the ten participants reported anywhere from 10-15 days out of 30 where stress and stress reactions impacted their well-being. Jenni gave them access to tools through Monday Mindset emails which included short videos, activities, and podcasts focused on tools to add to their self-care toolbox. While another COVID year created barriers to meeting regularly in small groups, we were able to meet multiple times during the year to build a sense of community and shared experiences. She also met individually each month to support participants in setting proactive goals and developing skills to identify and manage stressful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

As a result of the program, by March, 9 of the 10 administrators indicated a reduction to 5 or fewer days of high stress and reported using a new strategy to manage the stress reaction through increased self-awareness, awareness of triggers, and the ability to use reflection to increase mindfulness. The sessions led to increased resiliency and the ability to positively withstand stressors and recover from difficult situations, which benefited them personally and professionally.

One participant shared, “Oftentimes as principals; we have to carry a large load or heavy burden. We don’t have too many people we can discuss our issues or stressors with. Having the ability to meet once a month with someone who knows what we are going through and sends us strategies and techniques is powerful. Oftentimes it just makes you feel better to be able to have an adult conversation without feeling you are being unprofessional.“

Jenni-Goolsby-ASF-Poster-COS-2022 Download

2021-22 Alabama Schweitzer Fellow Madison Hartley, standing in a field, wearing a dark-blue sweater and white blouse. — Madison Hartley
Samford University, College of Health Sciences

Academic Mentor: Dr. Amy Broeseker
Site Mentor: Dr. Deborah Bowers
Site: Changed Lives Christian Center

My project aimed to connect with CLCC residents and help them with their health goals through one-on-one sessions. I spoke with patients about their conditions such as diabetes and hypertension and how healthy diet and exercise can improve how they feel. I educated patients on their personalized treatment plans as well as created infographics for commonly used medications at the site.

As a result of the program:

After increasing health status knowledge (e.g., daily caloric needs, benefits of lowering HbA1c/blood glucose), several individuals made diet changes that decreased sodium intake and decreased sugar-sweetened beverages and increased water
Patient education tools in the form of infographics were created for the clinic

“The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship has planted seeds of adaptability, self-compassion, leadership, and service in me that will continue to grow throughout my life. Getting to be a part of a group that is dedicated to leadership and service has given me the experience to assess needs in my community and the confidence to try to meet them. I have learned that being dedicated to a small group of people over even just a year can have a big impact. Change doesn’t happen overnight, and if I have the opportunity to help even one person, that is no small success.”

Madison-Hartley-Poster-1 Download

Matthew Hudson and Henry Kendrick
UAB School of Medicine/UAB School of Business & UAB School of Dentistry

Academic Mentor: Dr. Will Brooks, UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Site Mentor: Valerie Dubose, UAB Disability Support Services
Site: Birmingham Special Needs Affinity Group

Henry and Matthew have worked in conjunction with UAB Disability Support Services, UAB e-Learning, the Red Barn, United Ability and many other faculty and community partners over the past year to create an online disability education and training module. This module has and will continue to provide future health professionals within UAB graduate and professional schools with more information and a more personal connection to treating patients with a spectrum of physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. Their module is both academic and interview-based with filmed personal interviews interspersed throughout the training that are done with patients with a range of disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers, to provide a more holistic, personal perspective on disability rather than the purely academic perspective that is typically given sporadically during their formal education.

To test the module, Matthew and Henry piloted a similar version of the full e-Learning and in-person module. Medical and dental students who participated were given the opportunity to view and conduct interviews with families of persons with disabilities virtually and at the Red Barn, a therapeutic horsemanship center in Leeds, Alabama. Students overwhelmingly responded positively to the experience and reported an increased level of competence, comfort, and understanding in working with this population of patients in the future.

A total of 18 medical and dental students participated in the pilot disability competency education virtual pre-module and in-person interactive experience, receiving 108 cumulative direct contact hours with persons with disabilities at the Red Barn.
All 18 participating students responded favorably from pre- to post- attitudinal surveys regarding persons with disabilities.
All 18 participating students reported being more likely to be open to working with patients with disabilities in the future.
Over 15 filmed interviews were recorded at United Ability to provide future students a personal connection to disability advocacy while 5 filmed academic modules were developed in conjunction with UAB e-Learning, UAB DSS, and Dr. Danielle Powell with the Department of Physical Medicine and
A Chapter of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry was established to provide lasting interdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare students interested in working with patients with disabilities.

The project will continue via the full e-Learning and in-person module which is currently nearing completion to be implemented in the Fall in both the UAB School of Dentistry and Heersink School of Medicine.

“A year ago, I had no idea what kind of doctor I wanted to be, spouting a different specialty every other week to the constant stream of family and friends asking that age-old small-talk question… “Do you know what kind of doctor you want to be?” I can say that this fellowship has given me plenty of moments of feeling inadequate and uncertain, with many moments of wondering whether our project would take shape, all in the hopes of bringing to life a goal that Henry and I envisioned a year ago would make at least a small difference for people with disabilities in our community. A year later, through this fellowship, I can say now that we did make some difference, and I do know what kind of future I want to have. I know that I want to be the person and the doctor who embodies a spirit of servant-leadership and passion, one that continues to work on projects that inspire change in the community, even when those creeping moments of inadequacy invade.”- Matthew Hudson

COS-Poster-Matthew-and-Henry-1 Download

Grace Menzies & Joia Pfeiffer
UAB School of Public Health; UAB School of Nursing

Academic Mentor: Dr. Deborah Bowers
Site Mentor: Dr. Emily Patton
Site: Changed Lives Mobile Clinic

Grace and Joia conducted several projects for the clinic; first, they conducted a sleep study to understand the needs of the participants when it came to sleep education. They also worked with the clinic staff to improve the system for filling prescriptions at the clinic. When a new piece of lab equipment was purchased, Grace and Joia were the first to be trained, later teaching the clinic staff how to use the new equipment. Throughout the entire year they attended clinic as nurse presenters and recruited and trained future volunteers for the clinic.

As a result of the program:

Created a sleep hygiene brochure which will be shared with all new residents at the Changed Lives Christian Center and the Foundry Farm
Recruited 10 short-term student volunteers from UAB School of Nursing, with one volunteer committing to long-term service
Developed an information guide and instruction rubric for the piccolo medical equipment device
Helped improve medication refill times from 5-6 hours to only 2-3 hours per refill session
Created information sheets on how to procure medications for clinic staff and one on how to use new pill counter for clinic patients

The roles and information Joia and Grace developed are now written up to be shared with anyone else that wants to join the clinic team. There is a 2022-23 ASF project anticipated to build upon Grace and Joia’s project, as well, focusing on increasing medication adherence and growing the patient population.

“*If I* *can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain*” – Emily Dickinson, shared by Joia Pfeiffer

“*Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time*.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, shared by Grace Menzies

GraceJoia_Poster Download

Malik Seals & Margaret Lloyd
UAB Graduate School, Biomedical Sciences

Academic Mentor: Dr. Richard Kennedy
Site Mentor: Marcy Morgenbesser
Site: Collat Jewish Family Studies

We met with each participant individually to establish a baseline of technological proficiency. We then met with the participants one-on-one weekly to deliver personalized instruction at their level and pace. In addition they conducted weekly zoom sessions with the cohorts, so they could utilize their new technology/zoom skills while engaging and learning in a group setting. Finally, they created online resources (e.g., a google doc of FAQs, personalized “one-pagers” for each participant on how to navigate their favorite applications; etc.) to ensure participants could continue using technology after their 8-week session was over. Based upon additional interest, Malik and Margaret started a second session with a new cohort of participants who will be paired with volunteers they recruited to continue the program.

As a result of the program:

All 7 participants in the programs have quantitatively improved their technological literacy.
They helped lower one participant’s phone bill by $60/month and saved another participant $20/month on subscription fees.
Individuals now use technology independently to connect to healthcare resources (2), such as COVID-19 tests; to order groceries using an online service (3); and for arranging transportation (1).
Two participants now have access to technology that they never had before (chromebook and smart phone) and are learning quickly how to utilize them.

To sustain the project, Margaret and Malik have created a mini video series shared with our community partner for future use with staff training. They are also seeking volunteers within the UAB medical school to take over their project.

“As an Albert Schweitzer Fellow, my time has exposed me to my sometimes narrow way of thinking. At the beginning of the fellowship, I had everything planned out in excruciating detail; however, I did not seek input from the community that I was attempting to benefit; not only did my project require significant adjustments, but I did not gain insight from the participants on what they wanted from the program. The entire experience has been enlightening, especially as someone interested in the intersection of medicine, research, and public health; these fields require being able to accurately appraise the community’s needs, solicit feedback, and develop evidence-based solutions to address those needs. It wasn’t about the data we collected; instead, it was the smile on the participant’s faces as they regained their autonomy.”- Malik

“The Alabama Schweitzer Fellowship has taught me that impact is not always about the big numbers. Impact is serving others in a capacity that meets both the participant’s and volunteers’ needs while building a relationship during that process. Impact is hidden in the small moments like progress towards a goal or building trust with a participant. As a future medical professional, I want to serve my patients in a holistic manner where my patients feel comfortable discussing their needs and not just their symptoms.” Marge

Margaret-and-Malik-Poster Download

Shanquela Williams
UAB School of Public Health (Health Behavior)

Academic Mentor: Dr. Lonnie Hannon III
Site Mentor: Antonia Hill
Site: Grace House Ministries

Williams developed, implemented, and evaluated a financial health program for adolescent girls in foster care in Fairfield, Alabama. The program incorporated an educational series with tools and resources that enhanced the girls’ skills to thrive in society. Ultimately, the program sought to instill habits to help them successfully transition to independent living.

As a result of the program:

22 girls received education and mentorship on managing finances
13/18 girls met at least one financial goal
8 girls self-confidence about their ability to manage money increased
Saved a total of $879

Sustainability is about partnership, commitment, and resources. Shan will continue to work with Grace House Ministries, weekly, to help the girls strengthen their life skills to thrive in society.

“I’ve always viewed giving back to be at the core of my being. I am taking what I have learned as a Fellow and transferring it into community-based actions that will transform people’s lives for the better. And with the backing of research, I can use my findings to encourage lasting change through legal advances.”

ShanWilliams_ASF_Poster2022 Download

Fellows For Life: 2020-21

Kaye Culp
University of Montevallo, College of Education

Academic Mentor: Dr. Judith Harrington

Site Mentor: Charity Laister

Site: Cahaba Medical Care

Online group counseling sessions were held to provide services for caregivers of children/siblings with disabilities in order to reduce stress and increase caregiving self-efficacy. When identified as a need, participants were also referred to counseling services with a therapist for continual support. Additionally, Kaye assisted with organizing an in-person support group in Bibb County, Alabama, at the public library for parents of children with autism. Along with organizing these meetings, she spoke monthly on the importance of self-care.

As a result of the program:

Fourteen parents participated in the online group counseling sessions and all reported a decrease in caregiver stress/burden and an increase in self-efficacy.

Eleven parents have committed to individual counseling sessions to help them manage ongoing stress.

Fourteen parents have a self-care plan.

Two of the individuals involved decided to return to college to pursue their ‘dream job’.

A support group for parents of children with autism was created at the public library in Bibb County, and attendance increased from two to six individuals.

A list of speakers was developed in conjunction with the public library which will allow these meetings to continue to be of service for parents of this population.

The Bibb County Public Library has committed to continue the autism support group, and Kaye created a list of speakers to allow them to continue to grow and support parents.

“I have enjoyed my fellowship experience with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Through my participation, I was able to meet and interact with so many wonderful people. I’m not sure who made the greater impact, myself (for my participants) or the participants (and their impact on me). I will never forget them. I greatly appreciate the professional development provided by the Schweitzer Fellowship and the ability to brainstorm and network with other Fellows. I feel as if I have a network of support who will always be available even though our career paths will differ. This has been an amazing and unforgettable journey.”

Katie Ellison
UAB School of Health Professions (Nutrition Sciences)

Academic Mentor: R. Drew Sayer, PhD

Site Mentor: Judy Vann

Site: Cooking Well

Katie developed a new curriculum for graduates of the Cooking Well program called ‘Next Steps,’ that dives deeper into the pathogenesis of diet-related chronic diseases and is intended to increase participants’ understanding of the relationship between health and nutrition. To do this, she developed teaching materials, student materials, recipes, and handouts for four modules covering inflammation, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and adiposity-based chronic disease. Recognizing the barriers to accessing healthy foods on a budget, Katie also worked with a local grocery store (Village Market, in East Lake) to develop a healthy food line called Live HealthSmart Foods. These foods are available on discount to the public while Cooking Well participants receive an added discount. Katie was able to conduct one cohort of 5 women for the virtual Next Steps program and she is co-leading the original Cooking Well program for 25 women alongside Larissa Strath, an ASF Fellow For Life. Finally, Katie developed social media campaigns, including ‘Ask the RD.’

As a result of the program:

The Live HealthSmart Foods line has brought discounts on healthy foods to a local market in a food desert

The Village Market has a method to track purchases of LHS Foods and can determine what the best and worst sellers are to inform sustainability practices

A 501(c)(3) organization, Cooking Well, has a new Next Steps program that has reached 5 women with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. One of them reported “Cooking Well has made me aware that I can change the disease processes in my life. I have knowledge on how food can be medicine and experience with cooking foods I probably would never try. I enjoyed the encouragement and empowerment from the other women. My family has bought in to Healthy Tuesdays.”

Cooking Well has more than twice the number of social media followers from when the project year started

Dietetic interns have gained experience in community nutrition practices and principles

The project is being sustained by keeping the LHS Foods line available to the public and Cooking Well participants. Katie is working with UAB’s Live HealthSmart team to refine the food line and expand it to other markets in the greater Birmingham area. Cooking Well will continue to recruit participants for the virtual program and aim to resume in-person classes by the end of 2021.

“Participating in the Schweitzer Fellowship and working with my site has provided me with the opportunity for tremendous growth, both professionally and personally. I learned how to build and sustain community partnerships by obtaining community consent and emphasizing stakeholder participation to foster co-learning and an equitable balance of benefits. I also gained invaluable skills in program development and community nutrition practices that I will use to sustain my project and expand it to other communities.”

Photo of 2020 Alabama Schweitzer Fellow Maani Kamal — Maani Kamal
University of Alabama School of Medicine

Academic Mentor: Dr. David Kimberlin

Site Mentor: Nicole Leshoure

Site: Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS)

Maani has addressed the low rate of the HPV vaccination series at a Federally Qualified Health Center, seeking to institute changes on the provider-level that will impact patients and their guardians. Her project first assessed the current rate of HPV vaccination among the pediatric population (ages 11-18) for whom it is recommend, trying to determine the barriers that prevented more from being offered or accepting the immunization. She has connected the clinic staff to additional training resources, researched specific reminder and recall systems, and contributed data for a grant application to expand these efforts further.

As a result of the program:

ARMS staff have received additional training about HPV vaccination

ARMS administrators have a needs assessment, which they have used to submit a grant application for increasing vaccination rates

More educational materials about HPV vaccination is now available in all clinic rooms

The ARMS clinic is submitting a grant application to support HPV vaccinations. If received, funds would help purchase a reminder and recall system for the clinic, which is important for vaccinations (such as HPV) that have multiple doses.

Abigayle Kraus
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine

Academic Mentor: Rachel Sinkey, MD

Site Mentor: Indranee Rajapreyar, MD

Site: UAB Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Division of Cardiology

The Happy Heart, Happy Mom project gained insight into the barriers and struggles women with heart disease face within the first year of childbirth. Abigayle administered surveys to learn about different aspects of maternal health postpartum, including mental health, physical health, breastfeeding, contraceptive use, and healthcare access. She then followed up with the women to discuss needs highlighted in the survey and to connect them to local resources.

As a result of the program:

The Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Division of Cardiology received first-hand accounts from six women to inform their future provision of services to all patients.

Based on survey responses, many women were concerned about healthy eating and living. A monthly newsletter was distributed to the participants to highlight affordable, quick and heart-healthy meals that could be made at home.

Participants had individualized needs met (e.g., accessing affordable lactose-free milk for one mother’s child)

“The Schweitzer Fellowship enabled me to cultivate the skills and experience to serve and advocate for vulnerable patient populations in my community. Monthly meetings gave me the opportunity to meet and learn from current healthcare leaders in Alabama and the country, and to collaborate with my peers on how to solve these complex, multifaceted issues using an evidence-based and service-centered approach.”

Sheila Mallenahalli
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine

Academic Mentor: Dr. Caroline Harada

Site Mentor: Dr. Janet Niemeier

Site: UAB Spain Rehabilitation Clinic

Sheila addressed the difficulties encountered by spina bifida patients and their caregivers by developing educational materials that can present care guidelines in an easily digestible manner. Problems arise when patients and caregivers receive training primarily during once-a-year visits, where they receive a lot of information from a multi-disciplinary team. Recognizing that they may need more education and support to implement all of their activities of daily living, Sheila conducted interviews to first learn what challenges patients/caregivers faced on a daily basis. She learned that bowel management was an ongoing concern for most, and so Sheila spent time crafting guidance to walk them step-by-step for this important task, ensuring it met the recommendations of the various healthcare providers.

As a result of the program:

Spain Rehabilitation has a standardized protocol for bowel management for spina bifida patients that can be more readily followed by caregivers

Greer McCollum
UAB School of Public Health (Health Behavior)

Academic Mentor: Dr. Ann Elizabeth Montgomery

Site Mentor: Gordon Sullivan

Site: One Roof

Greer’s project increased One Roof’s capacity to serve youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness. As the Homeless Continuum of Care for Central Alabama, One Roof coordinates 45+ partner agencies serving individuals who are homeless. Greer worked with these partner agencies and outside institutions—like the child welfare and justice systems—to streamline their prevention and intervention efforts. To do so, he organized a group of key stakeholders, called the Youth Homelessness Working Group, who are committed to meeting one-a-quarter to coordinate services; facilitated and strengthened One Roof’s Youth Action Council, a group of young adults with homelessness experience who advise One Roof leadership on youth homelessness issues; and designed, implemented, and wrote a Youth Homeless Needs Assessment uncovering what service gaps exist in Birmingham and what resources are available to fill those gaps.

As a result of the program:

Greer completed 29 Youth Homelessness Surveys and 7 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders

A Youth Homeless Needs Assessment Report was produced, including a quantitative and qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data (e.g., Census data, Homeless Management Information System data) not previously assembled specifically for youth

A partnership between Youth Action Council (YAC) and another nonprofit, the Alaquest Collaborative for Education, was developed to strengthen engagement of the 3-4 consistent YAC Members

A 10-15 member Youth Homelessness Working Group (YHWG) was convened with a calendar for ongoing meetings

Greer or another staff member of One Roof will continue facilitating the YHWG and YAC. Additionally, he will continue to operationalize some of the findings and recommendations from the Youth Homeless Needs Assessment, which One Roof plans to use as data for upcoming federal grants.

“Participating in the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship taught me many valuable lessons about professional life that can be distilled into three timeless idioms: “work harder, not smarter;” “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good;” and “many hands make light work.” As a health and human services employee, there will always be more work for me to do, so I have to be efficient, be satisfied that “good” is good enough, and rely on my teammates for assistance and support.”

Harley Moore
Auburn University, Harrison School of Pharmacy

Academic Mentor: Dr. Jeanna Sewell

Site Mentor: Sarah Grace Walters

Site: Auburn University Food Bank

Harley addressed food insecurity on Auburn University’s Campus by increasing awareness of and decreasing stigma with using the AU Campus Food Pantry. Harley normalized hunger on campus by taking a broad-based approach of marketing the resource to student organizations. She also partnered with AU Student Counseling and Psychological Services to screen all new clients for food insecurity through a validated tool, “Huger Vital Signs.”

As a result of the program:

74 additional students (of 767 screened with the Hunger Vital Sign) were found to be food insecure and given an opportunity to access the Campus Food Pantry

Raised $500 dollars and 50 cans for the pantry, which relies on donations

Introduced 15 new student organizations to Auburn University Campus Food Pantry

Distributed 300 bags of food to Auburn students

A system is now in place so that all new student clients of AU Student Counseling and Psychological Services (SCPS) will be screened for food insecurity. This protocol will allow a staff member from SCPS to contact Auburn Cares to connect those seeking services, and a staff member from Auburn Cares will follow up with students to arrange services.

Emily Munn
Auburn University, School of Kinesiology

Academic Mentor: Dr. Melissa Pangelinan

Site Mentor: Lori Marine

Site: Girls on the Run- Lee County

Emily ran two programs for Girls on the Run in Lee County; first, in Fall semester, she created a fully inclusive program for 11, 3rd-5th grade girls. By the end, all eleven girls completed the 5k to the best of their ability as well as created friendships and gained self-confidence. This spring, Emily is in the process of running an inclusive program for six (6) middle school girls. Importantly, both groups have succeeded while following safety protocols to prevent COVID. As an additional part of this program, she has prepared a tips and tricks guide for inclusive coaching in the Lee County program. This guide, along with representative advertising should help more girls with disabilities be included in the future. Over the course of the year, Emily also aided in a tutoring program with 2019-2020 Fellows and helped a 2020-2021 Fellow with coding for his project, demonstrating the collaborative spirit and support between Fellows.

As a result of the program:

11 girls in 3rd-5th grades completed the fall program with 94% attendance.

Two girls with Down Syndrome were a part of this group and reported feeling included. One noted in the post-program interview that she was so thankful to have real friends.

All 11 girls had a change in the words they described themselves, from beginning with “3rd, 4th, 5th grader, student, not good at sports, and quiet/shy” to “Strong, resilient (a team word all year), confident, and powerful” at the end.

Six Girls in 6th-8th grade girls have begun the spring program with 100% attendance so far.

2 girls with learning disabilities are in the program.

Common starter words are “Lonely, loud, outgoing, not good at running or sports, organized”. Emily anticipates seeing an improvement in self-concept by the end of the program in May.

Emily’s project is continuing this spring including two teams that promote inclusive fitness for all girls. In addition, she has created flyers and coaching tips that target girls with disabilities for use in future years.

“Before the program began, I was excited to learn and grow from this group. Once COVID hit, I was scared it would become just another thing to figure out and slog through. However, in a year of confusion and chaos, ASF became the joy of my week, an outlet to safely serve my people. Beyond that, I was able to learn from the other Fellows who were all in different fields and projects. I have learned so much about different areas in which the fellows are passionate. Finally, Kristin helped us understand what it truly means not just to care for others, but to take care of ourselves during our work. This knowledge is vital and has already become part of my weekly life.”

2020 Alabama Schweitzer Fellow Ana Ospina, sitting face forward in a chair. — Ana Ospina
UAB School of Dentistry

Academic Mentor: Dr. Raquel Mazer

Site Mentor: Dr. Carly McKenzie

Site: UAB School of Dentistry

Ana created a Dental Spanish curriculum, implementing it through the four years of the UAB School of Dentistry curriculum with the support of the administration. To achieve this goal, she first developed content for four (4) lectures with voiceovers focused on teaching basic dental Spanish to aspiring dentists. With faculty involvement, she delivered all the lectures to the D2, D3, and D4 classes and has introduced the first lecture to the D1 class who will begin phasing in the material in a more consistent fashion. Ana also created an associated cheat sheet for each lecture so that students could utilize the material in the clinic. An IRB application was approved to survey the students on their thoughts and comprehension of the Spanish to improve the lectures moving forward.

As a result of the program:

Introduced Dental Spanish material to 282 pre-doctoral dental students

Developed 4 lectures to introduce Dental Spanish, focusing on common patient interactions

Created methods to measure efficacy of the material implemented, including an IRB-approved study of the comprehension and perceived value for each lecture

265 students (94%) believed this material was important for them to learn

251 students (89%) improved comprehension

166 students (59%) now feel comfortable using the material with Spanish-speaking patients

Ana’s project will be sustained by course directors who will continue to offer the material alongside their own content in order to mirror the lectures first-year dental students are receiving in their regular classes so that most content will be delivered before patient care starts.

“What the Fellowship has taught me is that I shouldn’t be satisfied with the “norm”. It is my duty as a healthcare professional to care for all my patients, especially those who are underserved, and to seek out the issues that my community faces. It is no longer acceptable, if it ever was, to be complacent and let my patients suffer when there is something I can do about it.”

Jean Paul Osula
UAB School of Medicine

Academic Mentor: Carmel McNicholas-Bevensee, PhD

Site Mentor: Carolyn Williams

Site: Birmingham Ed Foundation

The focus of Jean Paul’s project was on career exposure for high school juniors and seniors at the Birmingham City Schools interested in healthcare. He conducted this project through biweekly zoom sessions covering 8 different careers (Surgery, Clinical Lab Sciences, Physician assistant, Pediatric medicine, Optometry, Dentistry, Physical Therapy, and Nursing). These sessions were live for students to join and also recorded for the teachers to use in their other classes. He also provided resources for teachers who requested other materials for the students, which resulted in reinstating a tutoring project that a previous fellow had begun. In this endeavor, Jean Paul paired families of high school students requesting tutoring with college students in order to help them with their school work.

As a result of the program:

Tutors were recruited from UAB in order to provide 17 families with free online tutoring.

53 students and 4 teachers learned about one or more healthcare careers through the Career Spotlight Series

The Summer Health Professions Education Program at UAB–which consists of new college students every year who are interested in healthcare—will continue components of Jean Paul’s project, such as working with Birmingham Ed Foundation to provide tutoring for Birmingham City School students. In addition, the recordings of the Career Spotlight Series will be available for the health science academy coordinators to use for years to come.

“My time as a Schweitzer Fellow taught me the importance of serving based on the community’s needs above all else. In order to do that, it requires being adaptable and resilient to the obstacles you may encounter. This needs-based approach is something that I will carry not only into future community service, but also into my future career as a healthcare professional. I plan to first and foremost, cater to the patient’s needs in order to truly make a difference.”

Mayowa Otuada

UAB School of Nursing

Academic Mentor: Dr. Lisa Pair

Site Mentor: Dr. Candace Knight

Site: Nurse Family Partnership

Mayowa addressed post-partum depression by creating an online support group where first-time, low-income mothers served by Nurse Family Partnership could go for additional resources and understanding. Due to COVID, Mayowa was unable to visit with clients in-person and worked hard to develop trust with women and to normalize the challenges of motherhood. Mayowa curated a series of mental health-related websites, list of local resources, and discussion prompts, creating a calendar so that the group could continue after her year of service.

As a result of the program:

Based on the recent assessment, more than 15 members of the Strong Family program have less anxiety and depression, indicating improved mental health.
Moms served by Nurse Family Partnership have improved their coping skills by learning how to seek support from each other using the online support group

The Strong Family support group will continue, as Mayowa has recruited a newly-graduated NFP member to serve as its administrator. Mayowa is training this volunteer on how to generate meaningful content and to keep moms engaged in the group.

“Being a Schweitzer Fellow has taught me that it is better to serve than to be served. I have learned a lot while serving NFP mothers. Now, I know more about this population and how to better advocate for them. I have gained more insight about women’s health and a lot more outside of my profession. The experiences I have learned in almost a year being a Schweitzer Fellow mean a lot to me and because of this, I will continue to serve my community.”