Since 2020, the UGA College of Public Health has partnered with the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) to pair students with cities to address health disparities and advance health equity across Georgia. Through the Health Equity Fellows Program, students and partner cities work together to address long-standing issues and promote wellbeing through a social determinants of health approach.
Six Health Equity Fellows are chosen to serve each academic year. If selected, students receive a $1,000 stipend from the College to support them in their work. Fellows also receive a faculty mentor and participate in a peer learning community as a cohort. Final projects will be presented in a symposium held each April.
Meet our 2023 Cohort
2023 Health Equity Fellows from left to right: Henry Kitiabi, Melat Mekonnen, Caleb Snead, Abigail Ventimiglia, Abraham Adokwei, and Rylee Dickinson.
The 2023 Health Equity Fellows and their partnering cities are:
- Abigail Ventimiglia, MPH candidate, Health Policy & Management, working with Decatur;
- Abraham Adokwei, PhD candidate, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, working with Atlanta;
- Henry Kitiabi, PhD candidate, Health Promotion & Behavior, Global Health Institute, working with Clarkston;
- Melat Mekonnen, undergraduate student, Health Promotion & Behavior, working with College Park;
- Rylee Dickinson, MPH Candidate, Health Policy & Management, working with Chamblee;
- Caleb Snead, MPH Candidate, Health Promotion & Behavior, working with East Point.
The UGA College of Public Health’s 2023 Spring cohort of Health Equity Fellows supported six Metro-Atlanta cities with well-being, health equity and health disparities research.
During a symposium hosted by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) on April 19, the Fellows presented their research findings to city partners participating in the Metro-Atlanta Cities Wellbeing Initiative (MACWI). MACWI is an initiative created with GMA, the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), and the National League of Cities (NLC).
Throughout the MACWI, cities learn about wellbeing metrics available for Metro-Atlanta and how to utilize them to support local decision making and policy action. At the end of the initiative, “Wellbeing Stewards” from each participating city create policy action plans to implement in the home cities.
Each Health Equity Fellow partnered with a participating city to lead research on public health topic of community interest and develop white papers to support the creation of each cities’ wellbeing policy action plan.
Presentations by the Fellows tackled the following topics for the MACWI’s six participating cities:
- Addressing food insecurity in College Park;
- Establishing WIC Status at the farmer’s markets in East Point;
- Addressing language barriers in Clarkston;
- Encouraging increased physical activity for Adults in Decatur;
- Improving housing density in Chamblee.
Watch the 2023 Health Equity Fellows present their findings to MACWI:
Health Equity Fellows Convening 2023 from Rebecca Baskam on Vimeo.
How to Apply
The College of Public Health is no longer accepting applications for the Health Equity Fellows Cohort of 2023.
The Health Equity Fellows Program accepts applications during the Fall semester of each year. If selected, students receive a $1,000 stipend from the College to support them in their work. Fellows also receive a faculty mentor and participate in a peer learning community as a cohort. Applications are typically due by mid-September of the Fall semester.
Past Recipients
2022 Class of Health Equity Fellows –
- Vanessa Diokpara, MPH candidate, Health Policy & Management, worked with East Point;
- Leila Farist, MPH candidate, Epidemiology, worked with Hiawassee;
- Kristi Sprowl, DrPH candidate, Health Policy & Management, worked with Albany;
- Pryce Nwabude, MPH candidate, Health Policy & Management, worked with Tifton;
- Sloane Sengson, undergraduate student, Health Promotion & Behavior, worked with Decatur.
Inaugural 2021 Class of Health Equity Fellows –
- Kenya Murray, PhD student, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, worked with Fitzgerald;
- Carlyncia McDowell, MPH candidate, Disaster Management, worked with Milledgeville;
- Harrison Huang, MPH candidate, Epidemiology, worked with Young Harris;
- Amber Bullard, undergraduate student, Health Promotion and Behavior, worked in College Park;
- Jennifer Quezada, undergraduate student, Health Promotion and Behavior, worked in Moultrie.
Presentations from our inaugural cohort of CPH Health Equity Fellows can be viewed below:
