Our Advisory Council plays a vital role in guiding and supporting the Schweitzer Fellowship’s mission to develop leaders who are committed to health equity and community service. This dedicated group of professionals brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to our program — helping to mentor fellows, strengthen partnerships, and advance our impact across Alabama. Let us introduce you to them through our Q&A Spotlight Series.
Q: Please introduce yourself and your role within the ASF of Alabama.
A: Deborah Bowers, Assistant Professor of Nursing, UAB School of Nursing Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Council Liaison.
Q: Why do you love serving ASF?
A: Future generations of healthcare professionals benefit from interprofessional opportunities that support their leadership development.
Q: What excites you most about the upcoming Fellows?
A: I enjoy listening to the Fellows’ passions and interests to develop projects that improve health for a variety of populations across the State of Alabama.
Q: What do you hope ASF can accomplish in the future?
A: I hope ASF can continue to recruit the best and the brightest graduate students across the state to improve the health of the populations we serve.
Q: Why do you think the ASF Fellowship is important to Alabama communities?
A: The ASF offers resources and services to communities across the State of Alabama that are otherwise limited.
Q: How does ASF help Fellows develop as leaders and professionals?
A: The ASF provides Fellows with an opportunity to learn essential lessons about leadership that are not readily learned in the classroom setting.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming Fellows?
A: It is an honor to be named as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow and to serve as a Fellow for Life. Seek to maximize your learning opportunities from every project development session, every interaction with community partners, and every opportunity to connect with a person in the community you serve. The lessons learned as an ASF will play a significant role in your professional development.
Q: What personal or professional experiences have influenced your passion for service and health equity?
A: After twelve years of working with some of the most impoverished communities on the globe, I learned to appreciate the resilience, strength, and determination of the people in those communities. Those experiences have inspired me to keep pushing against the system and seek opportunities to offer healthcare services for those with little to no access.
Q: How do you see ASF’s role in shaping the future of healthcare and service in Alabama?
A: The ASF provides Fellows with exposure to essential lessons about leadership will teach them to lead with empathy and lead from a different perspective during their careers.
Q: What are some of the key skills or qualities that ASF Fellows develop that are valuable in their future careers?
A: One of the most essential skills that ASF Fellows develop, that is valuable to their career, is learning about person-centered design thinking to develop a program or initiative.
