FELLOWS AND PROJECTS

2013-14

Alexandra Bassett, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Bassett is enhancing the current dental assisting partnership with Madison Park High School and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine by creating a structured mentorship program between the dental students and high school assisting students. By creating a mentorship opportunity between the two groups, she hopes to better educate the dental students on culture and identity in our nation's changing demographics while empowering interested high school students to take the necessary steps to earn healthcare leadership roles in their communities and the nation.
Community Site: Madison Park High School

Alison Brown, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Brown's proposed nutrition workshop series aims to reduce obesity and other nutrition-related diseases among low-income women and children members of Healthworks Community Fitness at Codman.  The 6-week nutrition intervention, "Keeping it 'Real': Better Food for Better Health" will focus on empowering participants to take charge of their health and that of their families through better nutrition in the home.  Each session will include interactive demonstrations, open dialogue, practical tips, and live cooking demonstrations that will include children participation.  Ultimately, the program aims for intergenerational change in dietary habits with an emphasis on elucidating common myths about food and encouraging the consumption of more 'real,' less processed foods.
Community Site: Healthworks Community Fitness at Codman

Jessica Eder, MGHl Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing
Eder is addressing the special emergency planning needs of older adults in the Boston community by partnering with an established volunteer companionship program that targets socially isolated older adults. Eder will provide training and support to each participating older adult-volunteer pair, so that together they can create an individualized emergency plan that will address the specific needs of each older adult. She aims to teach program participants that volunteer companions can provide much more than emotional support, or assistance with everyday tasks—volunteer companions can play a crucial role in preserving the well-being of older adults during emergencies or disasters.
Community Site: FriendshipWorks

Shabatun Islam, Boston University School of Medicine
Islam is addressing the healthcare educational needs for recent refugees and asylum seekers in the Boston area by developing and implementing a series of workshops designed especially to empower these individuals with the knowledge needed to navigate the US healthcare system and seek acute and preventative care.  The ultimate goal of these workshops will be to help recent refugees and asylum seekers overcome barriers due to cultural, linguistic and past trauma that prevent them from achieving better health. In addition, a detailed curriculum manual for these workshops will be created to ensure the program’s sustainability for years to come.
Community Site: Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights

Leanna Katz, Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Katz is applying occupational therapy knowledge and skills to a newly created transitional program for victims of violence who are returning to their respective communities.  She is developing a client-driven occupational framework that addresses violence as a health issue.  Furthermore, she will be creating support groups based on restorative justice principles to promote client empowerment and bolster the healing process.  Katz hopes to increase the quality of life of these individuals through participation in self-directed activities and social interactions.
Community Site: Center for Community Health and Health Equity, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Florence Lee, New England College of Optometry
Lee is addressing the visual health of students at the Higginson/Lewis K-8 School in Roxbury by introducing a more comprehensive follow-up procedure for children who have failed their vision screening exams. In addition to providing screenings and follow-up procedures, Lee’s program aims to increase the compliancy of children who have been prescribed glasses, as well as to increase awareness of the importance of vision and visual health by speaking with the students, parents, and faculty. The ultimate goal of her program is to create a successful and sustainable model of visual health care for children to build a stronger developmental foundation that prepare these children for a more optimal learning experience.
Community Site: Higginson/Lewis K-8 School

Megan Lehnerd, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Lehnerd is addressing obesity and food insecurity by establishing a Market to Pantry program that connects unsold produce from farmers markets in underserved Boston neighborhoods to food pantries in those same communities.  By repurposing the fresh fruits and vegetables, she aims to minimize food waste from the markets and to maximize health benefits for those accessing the pantries.  Additionally, Lehnerd seeks to promote local farmers markets as healthy community spaces for all residents and to assist SNAP recipients in utilizing their benefits to purchase market produce.  
Community Site: Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness

Laura Liu, Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Liu is addressing disparities in cardiovascular disease education among Chinese immigrants residing in Roxbury Tenants of Harvard by establishing heart healthy education programs designed to overcome the language and cultural barriers faced by the immigrants. The program will incorporate cardiovascular education in English as a Second Language courses and host “Ask the Nurse” seminars in Chinese. These programs will not only equip the participants with knowledge to live heart healthier lives, but also empower them to become health advocates to train others and help foster a collaborative relationship between the participants and the hospital.
Community Site: Roxbury Tenants of Harvard, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Cardiovascular Wellness Program

Ankit Modi, Boston University School of Medicine
Modi is addressing the rising demand for senior services associated with an increased elderly population in the neighborhoods of Southwest Boston by teaching dance classes. Through starting a student organization called “Dance for Health,” he will provide an outlet for students at the Health Sciences Campus to teach dance classes to senior citizens in Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. Through these classes, he looks to promote the physical, mental and social well-being of seniors to help them maintain an independent lifestyle as they age.
Community Site: Ethos

Wyatt Posig, Simmons College School of Social Work
Posig is collaborating with individuals that have recently returned home from prison, “returning citizens,” delivering access to resources, skills, and positive reinforcement. Posig will be working with this population to provide them a safe community through a peer-led group where returning citizens will be empowered to learn different competencies including: parenting styles, money management, nutrition, cooking techniques, meditative practice, employability skills, negotiating skills, and coping skills. The goal of the project is for returning citizens to use this group to build on their strengths and create a mentorship curriculum empowering them to be community mentors.
Community Site: Haley House

Lauren Powell, University of Massachusetts Medical School 
Powell is tackling health disparities in men of color in Worcester through the project “Barbershop Conversations: Convene, Converse, Commit”. Powell will convene volunteers for training on cultural humility and the art of conversation, organize an event for oriented volunteers to converse with men of color at barbershops, and encourage participants to commit to follow-up after the event. This project ultimately aims to improve health communication among health care providers, community health workers, and male community residents of color, while simultaneously enhancing the sustainability of the barbershop health care model as a holistic community approach to improving health outcomes in men of color.
Community Site: Mosaic Culture Complex

Julia Randall, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Randall is addressing the need for health education for incarcerated youth. Due to funding constraints, many of the current residents of the department of youth services (DYS) facilities in Central Massachusetts are not receiving regular health education classes.  Through a series of health-focused workshops, she will empower the facilities’ teenage and young adult residents with the information and skills they need to make healthy decisions about their bodies both during their stay and after they leave secure treatment. The program will aim not only to teach basic knowledge and skills relating to anatomy and nutrition but also to promote open and honest discussion among the youth about healthy relationships, substance abuse, and decision making; things these (and all) teens are faced with every day.
Community Site: Paul T. Leahy Boys’ Detention Center and Department of Youth Services Secure Treatment Centers

Romeissa Selmane, Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Selmane is promoting regular physical activity at Ivy Street School, which provides residential and educational treatment to adolescents with brain injuries and other neurological difficulties, by establishing a student-designed and student-lead after school wellness group, focusing on regular physical activity. Students will be involved in the development, creation and implementation of this after school wellness group as they foster their own leadership and mentorship skills in mentoring one another in various physical activities. This program aims at empowering the youth by enabling them to take ownership of a physical activities after school group as a means of encouraging positive attitudes and behaviors towards physical activity.
Community Site: Ivy Street School  

Andrew Soule-Hinds, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Soule-Hinds is addressing the oral health needs of survivors of human trafficking through a developing partnership between the non-profit Amirah, and Boston University Dental School. He hopes to provide comprehensive oral care in a sensitive environment which is cognizant of the special needs of survivors of human trafficking. Additionally, he wishes to further raise awareness about the issues of human trafficking in the community and the services available to survivors.
Community Site: Amirah

Morgan Younkin, Tufts University School of Medicine
Younkin is working to build community capacity by strengthening a community-based English for Speakers of Other Language’s (ESOL) program in the Upham’s Corner neighborhood of Dorchester. He will continue to work with other community volunteers to increase community awareness of the program, as well as solidify the program’s organizational and curricular structure. While teaching regular English classes, he looks forward to giving and receiving as part of the unique community created by the students and teachers.
Community Site: Christ the King Dorchester Resource Center

2012-13

Dana Aravich, Boston University, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Aravich addressed social isolation among individuals living with multiple sclerosis at the Boston Home by helping them use technology to reconnect with their larger community. Residents of the facility learned mentoring, advocacy, and computer related skills. Her project encouraged the residents to make their voices heard and advocate for their interests.
Community Site: The Boston Home

Naira Arellano, MGH Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing

Arellano addressed health disparities affecting homeless Spanish-speaking Hispanics by carrying out a hybrid medical interpreter/health coach role at the Barbara McInnis House, the medical respite facility of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. Arellano’s project also included working on the preparatory steps for a chart review study that will create a deepened understanding of the characteristics and needs of Hispanic patients served by the Barbara McInnis House. 

Community Site: Barbara McInnis House, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

Sydnee Chavis, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Chavis raised awareness of special needs populations’ unique health issues by developing a new chapter of the multidisciplinary national organization American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) at Harvard Medical School/ Harvard School of Dental Medicine. This new student group exposed people with special needs to the aspects of healthcare that extend beyond the doctors' office.  It also introduced a forum for medical and dental students to learn more about special needs health considerations and find encouragement to treat special needs populations within their future careers.  Chavis’ Fellowship is supported by the DentaQuest Foundation.

Community Site: Partners for Youth with Disabilities

Jenny Citrin, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Citrin addressed oral health in a Boston’s Chinatown by developing iSmile, a program that inspired upstream prevention of dental disease through fun and nontraditional oral health education. With mentoring from dental students, high school students developed a storyboard for an interactive, educational app on dental health with a focus on the dietary causes of cavities, targeting 5-11 year olds. Serving as community and peer educators, these high school students mentored their elementary school counterparts in healthy behaviors and gained insight for game design. Citrin’s Fellowship is supported by the DentaQuest Foundation.

Community Sites: Josiah Quincy Upper and Lower Schools

Jeffrey Coots, Northeastern University School of Law; Tufts School of Medicine, Public Health Program

Coots' interests include increasing primary care access and utilization among individuals that have recently returned home from prison, particularly those with chronic health care needs. Through the delivery of “Healthy Reentry” workshops built knowledge around common health challenges, Coots employed a dialogue-based approach to introduce strategies for working in collaboration with a primary care provider to prevent new infections and mitigate the effects of chronic disease.  Coots’ goal is to ensure that those who spend time in prison have the opportunity to return to society and achieve healthy, productive, and meaningful lives.

Community Site:  Span, Inc.

Simone Ellis, Boston University School of Medicine

Ellis worked to diversify the next generation of healthcare leaders by engaging youth in the Roxbury community to consider careers in the health fields.  She developed an afterschool program called Boston University School of Medicine Science Teaching Enrichment Program (BUSM STEP). This program provides programming geared to enhance knowledge of health careers, health disparities, and disease processes. Additional key features of this program include one-on-one mentoring and informational sessions about the college admissions process. This preparation provided the high-school student participants with early exposure to the medical profession and tools they can use to reach their goals. BUSM STEP aims to continue advocating for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the academic ability, compassion, and interpersonal skills capable of facing the challenges of promoting health equity of diverse populations. Community Site: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

Stephanie Loo, Harvard School of Public Health

Loo addressed gender disparities and socio-communal health in the Somali Bantu refugee community of Greater Boston by establishing a young women’s leadership empowerment group with Somali Bantu females of middle and high school ages. Named as the Boston Bantu Girls by members of the group, her weekly program with these young women provided educational and social enrichment opportunities for the girls. Loo developed and directed activities of the group including a campus visit to Simmons College, various career speakers and discussions, time management and cultural competency workshops, spelling bees, and world country presentations. Through the group's activities and events, the Boston Bantu Girls focused upon uniting and fostering a growing community of strong young women who will become the next leaders and role models for their community.

Community Site: Shanbaro Community Association, Chelsea Collaborative

Connie Lu, Northeastern University School of Pharmacy

Lu addressed smoking and tobacco use among patients at the Neponset Health Clinic by promoting awareness of both the health risks of smoking and the availability of smoking cessation resources. She worked closely with QuitWorks, a program developed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Massachusetts health plans to reach out to patients and encourage them to initiate the quitting process. Lu’s project created a safe space for patients to discuss their smoking habits and encouraged them to follow up with a health care provider about their efforts to quit smoking. Lu’s Fellowship was supported by Walgreens.

Community Site: Neponset Health Clinic

Raaj Mehta, Harvard Medical School

Mehta worked with low-income families to address issues surrounding food allergies and nutrition by facilitating support groups, developing a series of trainings for Head Start teachers, and by implementing an office-based sugar-sweetened beverage demonstration.  In addition, Mehta’s project also addressed families’ concerns and anxiety associated with food allergies and other nutritional challenges through individualized interviews and through customized plans, which identified safe, healthy, and affordable eating options. 

Community Site: The Dimock Center

Caitlin Partyka, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work

Partyka addressed obesity in Mission Hill by establishing exercise programming for youth in the surrounding community. Her project offered young people weekly opportunities to engage in physical activity and learn about diabetes prevention, nutrition, and overall health and wellness. In addition to motivating youth to improve their physical health, Partyka worked to promote leadership and create improvements in confidence, problem-solving, and overall health.  

Community Site: Sociedad Latina

Jennifer Patey, Boston College Connell School of Nursing

Patey addressed health knowledge deficits in underserved Boston high school students by providing health education in a round-table setting. Her curriculum tackled the specific health needs and challenges faced by underserved Boston youth, with an emphasis on connecting students to community resources and helping students to develop daily routines that prevent chronic health conditions like diabetes and obesity. Patey encouraged students to actively participate in shaping their own health through discussion, goal-setting, journaling, and one-on-one meetings. 

Dhara Shah, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine

Shah addressed the lack of dental care for special needs children in Boston by establishing a sustainable and duplicable dental initiative with Harbor Area Early Intervention. She trained staffers in effective preventive measures and the importance of oral health to overall health, as well as provide hands-on informative sessions for parents. Her initiative included establishing a well-connected referral network with local dental providers, and encouraging a positive oral health environment at the center. She also worked provided screenings and oral health education for children in preschools, after school clubs and federally supported day care centers around Boston and the Greater Boston Area.   Shah’s Fellowship is supported by the DentaQuest Foundation.

Community Site: Harbor Area Early Childhood Center – Early Intervention Program

Mio Tamanaha, Tufts University School of Medicine

Tamanaha addressed youth homelessness by facilitating the creation of a performing arts program at a homeless youth shelter in downtown Boston. Youth were involved in various aspects of event planning in addition to participating in the performing arts events as performers or supportive spectators. The program provided an opportunity for self-expression and social connection, and aimed to foster improved self-esteem, self-efficacy, and non-cognitive skills.

Community Site: Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Shu Yang, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Yang addressed the medical needs of homeless individuals in Worcester by establishing an evening foot clinic at the Greater Worcester Housing Connection. In addition to offering basic foot care, diabetic screenings, and clean footwear, the clinic provided individualized care and attention to the personal needs of shelter residents and helped connect them to other local resources, such as the Worcester Homeless Outreach and Advocacy Program (HOAP). Yang’s Fellowship was supported by Novo Nordisk Community Care Boston.

Community Site: Greater Worcester Housing Connection (formerly the People in Peril Shelter)

Mohamed Zeidan, Tufts University School of Medicine

Zeidan addressed high re-visit rates to Boston emergency rooms by establishing a medical student follow-up program at Tufts Medical Center. Focusing in particular on patients without primary care physicians, students met with as many patients as possible to ensure that they understand their conditions and the necessary steps for a full recovery. Students met with patients before discharge and again a week later to monitor their progress. Ultimately, the project provided underserved patients with advocates in the health care system while also educating future physicians on the needs of their community. 

Community Site: Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department

2011-2012

Julia Bantimba, Boston University, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Bantimba worked to address stigma among children based on disability status at the Jackson Man K-8 School in Boston. She taught kindergarteners about the ways that children with disabilities can be assisted in their learning through facilitating their exploration of adaptive devices and, more importantly, their participation in inclusive activities with students with autism. Bantimba is also currently leading the Disability Awareness Girls Group, a small group of 4th graders. This group provides a place for the girls to gain education about disabilities and work on service projects to reach out to the disability community at Jackson Mann.
Community Site: Jackson Mann K-8 School

Evan Barnathan, Tufts University School of Medicine
Barnathan addressed the lack of music programming in Boston public schools by creating an a cappella singing group for teenagers at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. Students rehearsed weekly and performed modern pop/rock songs for their peers, families, and communities at their school and throughout Chinatown. The group also gained exposure to music production, recording several selections with a professional sound engineer. Participation in the group afforded opportunities for teamwork, helped to promote self-confidence and encouraged creativity.
Community Site: Josiah Quincy Upper School

Bianca Belcher, Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program
Belcher addressed a lack of preventive care in Boston at a local high school by establishing free specialty clinics facilitated by Northeastern’s Physician Assistant students. These clinics addressed the specific health needs of the student population and delivered related educational programming. Belcher helped to develop a continuous working relationship between the Edward M. Kennedy Academy and the Northeastern Physician Assistant program so that the adolescents may benefit annually from free preventive health care and education.
Community Site: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Professions 

Abhiram Bhashyam and Alister Martin, Harvard Medical School
Bhashyam and Martin enhanced the educational and professional opportunities of students in Jamaica Plain and Roxbury, MA by creating a mentorship program that incorporates motivational speaking, active mentoring, and tutoring.  The project exposed students to the power of education as it impacts personal and national health.  Bhashyam and Martin aimed to uplift, motivate, and support students using shared personal narratives and sustained interaction and communication in person and with modern technology.
Community Sites: City on a Hill Charter School, Tobin Community Center, and Yawkey Club of Roxbury

Talya Brettler, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Brettler addressed obstacles to the delivery of quality healthcare for the underserved in Worcester, by working to improve communication, collaboration, and quality among the four free health clinics in the area.  The clinic leaders now meet on a regular basis, along with a team of student volunteers devoted to clinic administrative matters.  She worked with the student leaders to address some of their biggest challenges, including physician recruitment, primary care access, and data collection.  In doing so, Brettler coordinated a collaboration with the UMass Quality Improvement group, empowering many medical and nursing students to improve the quality of care provided at the clinics.
Community Site: St. Anne’s Free Medical Program

Patrick Coleman, Boston University School of Medicine-MA/MPH Program
Coleman addressed youth and teen homelessness in the Boston area by partnering with Bridge Over Troubled Waters to create athletic programming and health seminars for at-risk and homeless youth. Coleman’s initiative intended to raise confidence, foster a positive life outlook, and raise the health-related quality of life of this underserved population. Through sport, health education, and mentorship activities, Coleman encouraged at-risk youth to adopt active, healthy lifestyles.
Community Site: Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Charles Daniels, Simmons School of Social Work
Daniels promoted the mental health and family engagement levels of fathers residing in low-income communities by leading a fathers’ support group that addressed participants’ concerns about poverty, lack of resources and support, and their parental role. The fathers’ group provided psycho-educational support; task-oriented activities that promote leadership and civic engagement through a planned community forum called OPERATION MALE IMPACT: Uplifting Men for a Better Future; and activities that increased opportunities for fathers’ quality time with their children. Daniels also worked with the Dimock Center in developing creative ways to increase male engagement and create a father friendly environment.
Community Site: Dimock Center

Raymond Deng and Ted Henson, Harvard School of Public Health
Deng and Henson increased access to social support services for patients of Brookside Community Health Center and parents at Dimock Center's Early Head Start Program by developing partnerships with local service providers, and then referring patients to these partner organizations through an established "help desk." Prior to establishing the "help desk," Deng and Henson met with patients, staff and board members to assess the unmet housing, food and nutrition, job training, legal aid, and transportation needs of each patient community.
Community Site: Brookside Community Health Center

Sophie Forte, MGH Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing
Forte addressed barriers to breastfeeding with a population of pregnant adolescent women in the Lynn community. By conducting one-on-one interviews during prenatal visits, Forte was able to assess the greatest perceived barriers to breastfeeding held by each woman, to conduct education on misconceptions about breastfeeding, and to provide each woman with resources to aid them as they make one of their first and most important decisions as new mothers.
Community Site: Lynn Community Health Center

Alan Hsu, Tufts Medical School, MD/MPH Program
Hsu's project encouraged youth in Boston's Chinatown to view and explore health through a wider "lens" through a photography program which explored the multiple and varied determinants of health. Equipped with cameras, children at the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center's Youth Center documented their own communities, exploring themes such as food, art, environment, nature, and culture. At the conclusion of the project, with an expansive body of work in their own photos, the children gained an understanding on how photography can be used to capture and illustrate powerful themes.
Community Site: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center

Inga Keithly, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Keithly addressed the lack of dental services available to homeless veterans in the Boston and New England area by establishing an walk-in dental clinic at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans (NECHV). In addition to conducting free oral cancer and denture screenings, the clinic will provided veterans exposure to potential dental needs that can be resolved at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) with Mass Health coverage. Ultimately, Keithly aimed to decrease the number of homeless veterans living without dental care and foster a lasting relationship between the NECHV and TUSDM.
Community site: New England Center for Homeless Veterans

Shannon Kelly, New England Conservatory
Kelly addressed the mental and emotional health of older adults by creating music outreach and education workshops. Kelly provided clients with an interactive musical experience through which they can express emotions in a positive and supportive environment, build self-esteem and confidence through music performance, engage in critical thought and discussion, and have access to social interactions in a non-threatening, enjoyable environment. 
Community Sites: Susan Bailis Assisted Living Community and Hale House

Jonathan Lee, Harvard Medical School
Lee addressed HIV/AIDS and chronic disease among marginalized patients living in the Greater Boston area by developing and delivering a patient empowerment curriculum alongside community-based health workers who provide essential accompaniment and support services for these patients. Lee’s "Adherence Transition Intervention" curriculum targeted HIV/AIDS patient agency and life-skills development to support independence in managing complex treatment regimens. Ultimately, Lee's project has helped pave the way for the agency to empower its patients with the knowledge, skills, and self-care to manage their antiretroviral therapies as well as to further address structural issues in the healthcare delivery system that perpetually allow vulnerable patients to "fall through the cracks."
Community Sites: Prevention and Access to Care and Treatment (PACT) Program,  Partners in Health/Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Nang H. Maung, University of Massachusetts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Maung’s project aimed to promote self-reliance among refugees from Burma living in Worcester by empowering these individuals with language skills, information, and confidence to assess services available to them. Twice a week throughout the year, refugee families gathered at “Family English Nights” for English classes focused on topics most relevant to survival and adjustment in the U.S. Maung’s work also expanded the network of local volunteers and access to social services by collaborating with local colleges and organizations.
Community Site: Worcester Refugee Assistance Project 

Patricia McClory, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
McClory addressed Early Childhood Caries (ECC)—a bacterial infection—in Boston children by training dental students to provide children and parents with education sessions in the waiting room of Children’s Hospital Boston Primary Care Clinic. These sessions supplemented parents’ and children’s routine visits to their pediatrician with education that expanded their oral health and nutrition knowledge, as well as encouraged parents to utilize the services of the Children’s Hospital dental clinic and other affordable clinics.
Community Site: Children’s Hospital Boston Primary Care Center

Maria Nunez, Boston College Law School
Nunez helped form a medical-legal partnership at Whittier Street Health Center with Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) | Boston in order to effectively address health and social disparities. Legal attention was critical to the welfare of Whittier’s unique patient population, which predominantly depends on public housing and social services. Nunez employed a legal needs assessment of the patient population and advocated for introduction of an on-site legal clinic, as administered by MLP | Boston, to address the unmet legal needs of patients.
Community Site: Whittier Street Health Center

Bethany (Patterson) Blanchard, Boston University, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Blanchard addressed the leisure and social participation needs of low-income older adults in Brighton by collaboratively developing a community art program with the residents of Covenant House. In addition to providing creative leisure activities, the program promoted cross-cultural social interaction among older adults at risk for social isolation due to physical, cognitive, cultural, and language barriers. Blanchard also promoted leadership development among the residents of Covenant House, enabling them to plan, organize, and direct art program activities, and serve as mentors to novice artists that attended. Helping to create this self-sustaining art group at Covenant House, Blanchard empowered older adults to assume leadership roles in their community.
Community Site: Irving B. Matross Covenant House

Mariah Rich, Harvard School of Public Health
Rich addressed childhood overweight and obesity in Waltham, MA by implementing Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Cities and Towns initiative in collaboration with local non-profit Healthy Waltham and the City of Waltham. Rich’s project focused on actions in four categories: reducing the risk of obesity in early childhood, making healthy food affordable and accessible, providing healthy food in schools, and increasing physical activity. Rich’s programs included starting a community garden and garden club, running healthy cooking workshops, educating students on nutrition, and organizing citywide physical activity events.
Community Site: Healthy Waltham



Katie Seamon, MGH Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing
Seamon addressed the challenges of adolescent pregnancy and parenthood in Chelsea, MA by developing a class on infant health and well being for young-mothers. The class was incorporated into YouthStar, an Americorps program that trains young people to become mentors, educators and outreach workers in the community. Seamon's project served the dual purpose of educating the young mothers of YouthStar and also enhancing their role as community resources.
Community Site: Roca




Ricardo Sedan, MGH Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing
Sedan addressed nutrition and obesity in the Spanish-speaking population of Charlestown’s low-income housing projects by administering a program that included nutrition education, activity, and healthy cooking classes—all held in Spanish. The program made health education highly interactive; for example, it included cooking sessions during which the students prepared and ate healthy dishes, while learning about relevant nutrition topics. The participants exercised during class, went on walks and field trips, visited farmers’ markets and grocery stores, learned to read food labels, and learned to cook healthy alternatives to their usual meals, thus gaining knowledge and experience that will empower them to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Community Site: MGH Charlestown HealthCare Center



Alexis Smith, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Smith addressed children’s early literacy skills in Chelsea and Revere by working in Head Start pre-school classrooms with the teachers and students to foster more exposure to language and literacy.  In addition, Smith's project included teacher workshops, initiation of teacher resource libraries, and a compilation of observations and recommendations to facilitate future language and literacy work.  The intended audience is English language learners (ELLs), ages 3-5 years old, who attend the Head Start classes.  Smith's long-term goal is to help build professional community involvement in order to increase language and literacy success through multiple avenues. 
Community Site: CAPIC Head Start

Oni Tongo, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Tongo increased nutritional awareness and addressed access to affordable healthy food by working with the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC) to organize and manage the Mattapan Farmers Market. She also worked with the members of the MFFC to promote the use of recently established healthy corner stores in the Mattapan community, and conduct nutrition-focused outreach to members of the Mattapan community and other underserved communities in Boston.
Community Site: Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition




Esther Yang, New England College of Optometry
Yang addressed the visual health of elderly and disabled populations in Southwest Boston by introducing a visual assessment program that assessed diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and refractive error. In addition to providing screenings, Yang’s program aimed to improve vision by increasing vision rehabilitation services and the use of assistive and adaptive devices. Ultimately, Yang’s program served to promote independence and well-being among elderly and disabled people so they may remain active and maintain their dignity through the next stages of their lives.
Community Site: Ethos

2010-2011

Constance Chace and Erica Weston, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Grace House Project: Constance and Erica created a collaborative wellness and development program at a substance abuse recovery home for adolescent women in Worcester, MA.  The Grace House Project promoted stress reduction, self awareness and wellbeing through yoga, meditation, art, dance and walking and running group activities for clients and staff.  Through workshops, classes, and open discussion this project addressed the diverse needs of the adolescent women at Grace House by supplementing their focused substance abuse recovery program with diverse activities intended to build coping skills. The project was developed through active feedback and suggestions from clients and staff and continues to grow and evolve.

Albert Chiou and Jessica Tao, Harvard Medical School
Albert and Jessie worked with students and physicians at Harvard Medical and Harvard College to establish the Community Kidney Disease Detection (CKDD) program, a long-term, community-based effort to reduce morbidity and mortality related to chronic kidney disease in Boston's Chinatown.  The program is housed at and supported by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association within Chinatown.  CKDD provides free renal health screenings, culturally and linguistically appropriate health education, and outreach about chronic kidney disease and associated conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.  The entirely volunteer-driven program serves, on average, over 30 participants at each monthly screening.

Chinelo Enwonwu, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
St Anne’s Free Medical Clinic/Mass Medline: Chinelo collaborated with Mass Medline and St Anne’s Free Medical clinic to increase individual’s access to prescription benefits and pharmacy services through outreach work and direct service at the clinic. The goal of increasing awareness of prescription drug benefits was part of Mass Medline’s initiative to address access issues. This outreach will most likely extend to one other free clinic in the area – St Bernard’s health clinic. Chinelo’s project was part of the larger goal of improving individuals’ access to healthcare.

Peter Franco and Sarah Schlansker, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine Pediatric Program: Sarah and Peter collaborated with the Pediatric Program at Tufts to provide dental care to underserved children in a school environment. In addition, they worked to introduce second year dental students to a clinical setting, while assisting them as they provided cleanings and sealants to the children at the participating elementary schools.

Annemarie Guzy, New England Conservatory of Music
Annemarie initiated a piano club in Mission Hill, building a community of beginning piano students and new classical music enthusiasts.  Through weekly one-on-one classes and monthly group fieldtrips, Annemarie encouraged creativity, musical expression and self-confidence proving that classical music is fun and even sometimes cool.





Shandon Halland, Boston College Connell School of Nursing
Cambridge Health Alliance, Outpatient Psychiatric Services:  Shandon worked with the Cambridge's Healthcare for the Homeless Team creating a group therapy intervention with ten formerly chronically homeless adults in a Housing First program.  The group met weekly from six months and worked on a wide range of topics.  Group topics included living with trauma, substance use, chronic health conditions, and mental health issues.  His project involved the development of curricula to address needs of people who had experienced long-term homelessness.  Shandon's project reflected the belief that preventing homelessness is essential to ending homelessness. 


Sybill Hyppolite, Harvard School of Public Health
Sybill worked with the Institute for Community Health to help a group of bilingual, immigrant parents to create a community support group to address issues of parenting the United States and behavioral health. The diverse group of parents developed skills to work together not only to share resources in the community, but also to become resources for each other and the communities of Cambridge and Somerville.

Michelle Lugalia, Harvard School of Public Health
Bridge over Troubled Waters: Michelle worked with homeless youth at Bridge over Troubled Waters. She worked with the youth to create an online Survival Guide based on their experiences with homelessness. The site will serve as a resource for other youth who are or become homeless and who may not have a plan to stability or access to help. She also created a health education curriculum for the organization around sexual health, self-care and nutrition.





Michelle Mian, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Cambridge Health Alliance:  Michelle collaborated with the Cambridge Health Alliance to integrate oral health screenings at local schools into the existing pediatric clinic at HSDM.  Her project promoted preventative dentistry by empowering children and their parents to maintain proper oral health care from an early age.

Emily Morrison, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Emily worked in central Massachusetts with Second Chance Animal Welfare Fund to expand upon the pet owner education and outreach aspect of their organization.  Her project aimed to maintain the relationship between pet owners and their pets, to preserve the human-animal bond, and to build the client base for Second Chance’s spay/neuter clinics.  She also ran monthly spay/neuter clinics throughout central Massachusetts.

Nicole Nguyen, Boston University School of Medicine
John Shelburne Community Center: Nicole collaborated with a community center in Roxbury to develop an after-school dance program. Her goal was to provide a place where the community youth can express themselves creatively while providing a medium through which they can achieve a regular form of exercise. She taught Hip-hop classes once a week as well as worked with the kids on a Michael Jackson Tribute performance during the Summer Camp Program.




Stephanie Nussbaum, New England Conservatory of Music
Stephanie sought to improve the quality of life of area nursing home residents through music. Working with Hebrew Senior Life in Jamaica Plain, Stephanie delivered weekly violin performances aimed at fostering interconnectedness and ultimately impacting the health and wellness of elderly individuals. 

Taiwo A. Oshodi, Tufts University School of Medicine - MBS/PHPD Program
Boston Living Center's Nutrition Works Program: Taiwo worked with individuals living with HIV/AIDS at the BLC. She conducted healthy nutritional cooking classes at this organization as well as developed a cook book that was based on recipes that the members submitted themselves. In addition, Taiwo offered workshops at the NW pantry on healthy dieting/living and presented information about the various resources available to them including for example the American Red Cross Food Pantry, Project Bread and Dollar-A-Bag programs.

Hilary Placzek, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Hilary partnered with Common Pathways to develop healthy behavior interventions for a group of newly relocated Iraqi refugees in Worcester. This refugee population had a diverse set of health needs. With small groups of women and children, we developed a group intervention to strengthen and build the Iraqi refugee community by identifying realistic options for healthy living in Worcester. This resulted in a better understanding of resources for healthy behavior in Worcester, and improved functional gain. This project was built on curriculum developed by a prior Schweitzer Fellow to develop physical activity (PA) interventions to increase healthy living programs to vulnerable populations. At the conclusion of my Fellowship year, an incoming student will continue working with these families to ensure project sustainability and continuity.

Jesse Roberts, Tufts University, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy - MS/MPH Program
Jesse has collaborated with the Athletics Department at Tufts University and several community organizations including Playworks and Cambridge Public Schools to provide a structured community service program for Tufts student athletes.  His project connected student athletes with organizations that provide after school care and enrichment to underserved children.   The goal of the program was to inspire children to embrace a more active lifestyle by providing them with fun and engaging physical activity delivered by positive role models whose lives have been enriched by their participation in physical activity and sports.

Elizabeth Samuels, Tufts University School of Medicine - MD/MPH Program
Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center and Youth On Fire: Liz collaborated with Dr. Ralph Vetters at Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center to develop a peer youth health education and outreach project among homeless youth. The project trained street-identified youth to identify and respond to health care needs among their peers and in the basics of MassHealth. Utilizing harm reduction and youth empowerment approaches to education and medical care, the project aims to eliminate barriers to care, improve health literacy, and increase insurance coverage and primary care enrollment among homeless youth.

Davida Schiff, Boston University School of Medicine
South Boston Community Health Center (SBCHC): Davida developed an environmental health and justice program for teens in South Boston. She collaborated with local community groups in addition to SBCHC to partner with youth to understand and explore the health impacts of their built environment and develop strategies to reduce health disparities.   Her project is part of a broader effort at SBCHC to improve asthma education and outreach in the community.

Jason Schweitzer, University of Massachusetts School of Medicine
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless:  Jason assisted in direct care services at the Barbara McInnis House, a program of Boston Health Care for the Homeless providing short-term medical and recuperative services for homeless individuals. Working with Latino patients, he served as an interpreter and advocate.





Caitlin Synovec, Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation
Webster House Community Mental Health Center: Caitlin worked with VINFEN and the Webster House Clubhouse in Brookline to develop an independent living skills program for participants of Webster House. This program addressed the needs of those diagnosed with mental illness to develop skills to support more independent living and increased education and skills over their own health needs. A second goal was to integrate the program as part of the Occupational Therapy fieldwork curriculum so that it may continue past her year as a Fellow.

Dawn Undurraga, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Concerned with the disproportionate rates of childhood obesity seen in low income areas of Boston, Dawn focused her Schweitzer project on both prevention and treatment.  On the prevention side, Dawn created, tested, refined, and evaluated a ten-week after-school nutrition and cooking curriculum for the three elementary schools in Dorchester served by her community organization, DotWell.  She also founded a student group at Tufts (Jumbo's Kitchen) and recruited six student officers to ensure the collaboration with DotWell will continue next year.  She established institutional memory for Jumbo's Kitchen by making the curriculum available online so that DotWell employees and Friedman students can continue to teach and refine the curriculum.  On the treatment side, Dawn assisted a dietitian at the Martha Eliot Health Center with their I'm iN Charge (INC) intervention program for overweight children and their families.  Her involvement with the program was so successful that she was hired midway through her project.  She continues to work with the INC program and these families. 

Amy Wong, Simmons School of Social Work
For her project Amy developed a meditation program with at-risk youth. Her project's aim was to help youth in these at-risk communities to develop awareness skills, recognize their strengths, and build their self-esteem. This approach arrives out of current research, which indicates that individuals who meditate can draw on their own mental health resources at difficult times with a regular practice.

2008-2009

Stephanie Baldwin, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Somerville Community Adult Learning Experiences (SCALE): Stephanie collaborated with the administrators and teachers at SCALE to provide services, including diagnostic testing and direct literacy instruction, which would not normally be available for immigrants learning English in this setting.  This project was part of a larger attempt to improve the educational, economic, and health-related opportunities available to these students.  She also recruited volunteers from the MGH Institute of Health Professions to provide diagnostic testing services to additional students at SCALE. 

Matthew Bartek and Abraham Jaffe, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Akwaaba Health Initiative: Abraham and Matt worked on a community-based effort to address the unmet health needs of Worcester’s African-immigrant population. This collaborative effort between community members and medical school faculty and students, has at its center, the Akwaaba Free Health Clinic which delivers culturally-competent care to patients who lack access. Abraham and Matt oversaw the opening of the clinic in April 2008 then served as Clinic Managers, ensuring that supplies and staff were in place each week for clinic and helping to create a plan for Akwaaba's growth. They helped to form a Board of Directors to provide strategic guidance for the clinic that consists of community leaders and medical staff, and created a larger "Friends of Akwaaba" network to help support and promote the mission of the clinic and improve the health of the African-immigrant community in Worcester. In the time since opening, there were over 500 patient visits at the Akwaaba Clinic, with available services including: physician visits, women's health visits including Pap smears and breast exams, free and anonymous HIV testing, blood work and select labs, aid with insurance enrollment, and counseling on how to access other area healthcare providers.

Maura Schorr Beaufait, Tufts University School of Medicine and Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Groundwork Somerville: Maura joined Groundwork in its ongoing efforts to promote sustainable community revitalization in Somerville through a variety of environmentally-based initiatives.  She worked with community partners to promote garden-based nutrition education in several Somerville elementary schools and created several educational modules for use in this context.  Maura is inspired by grassroots community change and sees her continued involvement with youth empowerment and nutrition education programs as a means of reversing trends of obesity, food insecurity, and environmental degradation.

Tiffany Bias, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Fallon Community Health Plan: Tiffany collaborated with the Fallon Community Health Plan to promote cessation of smoking amongst youth and adults through the Quit to Win program. The project focused on educating participants and health professionals about the proper use of nicotine replacement therapy in hopes of promoting quitting and increasing success rates. Additionally, a stop-smoking guide was created that addressed both the psychological and physical effects smoking poses on body to help assist participants as they take the journey to becoming tobacco free.

Ashley Carlson and Erin Pfeiffer, Harvard School of Public Health
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Ashley and Erin partnered with Bridge Over Troubled Waters to develop a youth empowerment program for at-risk and homeless adolescents in Boston.  The project used photography, narrative writing, and group discussions to capture the positive and negative aspects of these adolescents’ personal experiences and community life.  The project, titled Photovoice, helped develop and promote leadership among these at-risk adolescents and offer them a role and a forum for advocating for change.  As a means of displaying their work and giving their stories a voice in the community, their photography and writing was exhibited at Bridge Over Troubled Waters and at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Michael Dyer, Harvard Medical School
Mike collaborated with Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth (BAGLY) to offer health education and risk reduction services to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) youth in the greater Boson area.  One of his responsibilities was to provide HIV testing and counseling at BAGLY's weekly meetings and events.  Mike also worked with BAGLY’s Speaker’s Bureau to develop a youth-led forum for medical students around health care for GLBT youth. 

Benjamin Easter and Pichamol Jirapinyo, Harvard Medical School
Boston Asthma Swim: Benjamin and Pichamol coordinated the Boston Asthma Swim Program.  This program works with elementary school asthmatic students from Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood.  Every week, students and volunteers met for both an educational session and a swimming lesson.  Students learned the basics of respiratory physiology, asthma care, and healthy lifestyle decisions.  The exercise component empowered children to pursue a lifetime of physical fitness.

Caitlin Fritz, Clark University
Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc.: Caitlin collaborated with the Sullivan Middle School-Based Health Center, sponsored by Family Health Center of Worcester, to develop a community garden.  Through her project, she brought about awareness and started a dialogue about living a healthy lifestyle through increasing healthy eating habits and engaging in outdoor physical activity. 

Bethiel Girma, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work
Lucy Stone Elementary School (After School Program): Bethiel developed and implemented a health and wellness curriculum for 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade girls at the Lucy Stone Elementary School in Dorchester, MA.  Bethiel's project focused on nutrition, exercise, and character building with the goals of promoting healthy lifestyle changes and increasing knowledge of general wellness issues.

Cara Gorham, Simmons College School of Social Work
Cara collaborated with Partners for Youth with Disabilities and the Lesley University Threshold Program to develop and facilitate a mentoring program for adolescents and young adults with learning disabilities and other special needs.  Mentoring pairs spent time together in the community, communicated by phone and email, and attended group outings with other program participants.

Scott Halligan, New England Conservatory of Music
Scott collaborated with the New England Conservatory Outreach Office and Young Audiences of Massachusetts' Healing Arts for Kids program to lead improvised creative music sessions with pediatric patients and give an educational series of solo cello concert presentations at local children's hospitals.

Kathryn Jantz, Boston University Schools of Social Work and Public Health
Asperger’s Association of New England: Kathryn worked with the Asperger’s Association to address the needs of women and Latino youth with Asperger Syndrome (AS), two very underserved populations.  She developed a didactic curriculum to be delivered to women with AS on topics that will help them improve their mental and physical health.  In addition, she worked with Asperger's Association to develop capacity to better address the needs of the Latino youth.

Elizabeth Monnin-Browder, Boston College Law School
Massachusetts Transgender Legal Advocates: Elizabeth collaborated with several community organizations, including AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts; the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), and TransCEND, a program of Cambridge Cares about AIDS and volunteer students from other Boston-area law schools to start the first-ever legal clinic in Massachusetts specifically for low-income transgender and gender non-conforming people. Massachusetts Transgender Legal Advocates integrates legal services with other community-based public health and advocacy initiatives to provide comprehensive services for low-income people, many of whom have complicated health and legal needs. MTLA offers two monthly drop-in legal clinics at AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts and at Boston Health Care for the Homeless. In its first year, MTLA provided legal services to more than 100 clients.

Esohe Ohuoba, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health: Esohe collaborated with the Refugee and Immigrant Health Program in Jamaica Plain to develop a women’s health curriculum that is culturally sensitive to new arrivals from Somalia.  Her project was part of a comprehensive approach to empower women to understand and advocate for their own health, particularly in the areas of domestic violence, family planning, and sexually transmitted infections. 

Thomas Peteet, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Center for Healthy Kids: Thomas coordinated classes on nutrition, physical exercise, yoga, positive body-image, and refugee tutoring in a low-income housing project in Worcester.  He spear-headed new projects to increase the wellness of children and families in the area, including starting a “Pediatric Advocacy” elective at the medical school, and collaborated with the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Great Brook Valley. 

Beth Prullage, Simmons School of Social Work
LGBT Aging Project of Massachusetts: Beth worked with LGBT elders and community agencies to increase community participation and social and service networks for LGBT elders in Massachusetts.  She worked attended congregate meal programs; and engaged in community outreach efforts to underserved populations, specifically LGBT elders of color, transgender elders, and LGBT elders in supported housing to assess these communities’ needs in order to inform agency programming. 

Anoop Raman, Tufts University School of Medicine
New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans (NESHV): NESHV offers an impressive array of courses to its clients to help improve their career prospects.  These courses range from Truck Driving Licensing to “How to Use the Internet”.  Anoop worked with veterans at the shelter to address concerns they have that prevent them from taking advantage of the courses and encouraged them to enroll.

Leila Roumani and Carrie Tsai, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Through a Harvard-Tufts collaboration, Carrie and Leila’s project aimed to improve the oral health and oral health knowledge for at-risk and homeless youth in Boston. To this end, volunteers performed oral health screenings, provided basic dental treatment and health counseling at the on site dental clinic. In order to emphasize prevention and to empower the clients with health knowledge, volunteers also gave presentations on oral health education/vocational opportunities to clients at the GED program and residential facilities at Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Catherine Silva, MGH Institute of Health Professions
MGH GLB Alliance Community and MGH IHP Kinship: Catherine collaborated with the MGH professional and academic community to develop an LGBTIQ-friendly health care provider training program, particularly for nursing and medical students. The training program was presented at five universities and teaching hospitals, with both students and current health care providers across a variety of disciplines. Additionally, Catherine served on the planning committee for the second annual MGH LGBT Health Week, designing both guest speaker topics as well as arranging tabling events. These projects were part of a comprehensive approach to reduce health disparities in the LGBTIQ community and promote fair and appropriate access to health care. 

Jina Sinskey, Tufts University School of Medicine
The Greater Boston Food Bank: Jina worked with the Greater Boston Food
Bank to create culturally appropriate variations of the food acquisition and distribution process to better serve three disparate ethnic groups (Chinese, Brazilian, and Haitian Creole) in the greater Boston area. To achieve this goal, Jina created a set of user-friendly and sustainable resources for each of the ethnic populations including a "Best Food to Donate to your Food Drive" guide.

Jenna St. Pierre, Berklee College of Music
Horizons for Homeless Children: Jenna collaborated with Horizons for Homeless Children. She incorporated music enrichment activities into the Playspace program for children at two local shelters.

Janice Turikain, Cambridge College
Janice developed a curriculum for adults with developmental disabilities diagnosed with diabetes. She facilitated weekly support and health educational groups for participants. A community wide health fair was held in October 2008 with an emphasis on Developmental Disabilities and Diabetes. Health education events were held each month that focused on a specific health and nutrition topic that were planned and organized by participants of Walnut Street Center. The project increased awareness of the high incidence of diabetes in this vulnerable population. She collaborated with the staff of Walnut Street Center to implement a Health and Wellness Committee, comprised of staff and participants of Walnut Street Center. The Committee will continue to address diabetes and other health issues in this population.

Amy Vlazny, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Animal Rescue Leagues of Boston and Worcester: At ARL Boston, Amy worked to address the need for language-appropriate resources and services related to companion animal health, care, and welfare in Boston's Latino communities. Through visiting English classes for Spanish speakers, she conversed with pet owners and other community members to determine the best ways for the animal health and welfare sectors to engage the Spanish-speaking population.  She also translated several of the ARL Boston's informational materials into Spanish for publication and distribution at the shelter, veterinary clinic and subsidized spay/neuter clinic.  With ARL Worcester, Amy and her classmates organized a free pet vaccination clinic at the Worcester Housing Authority, a low-income housing development with primarily elderly and immigrant residents.  She led a group of student and vet volunteers in running the one-day clinic, where over 100 animals were vaccinated.  Thanks to a successful first clinic, the Tufts students plan to make this a long-term relationship with Worcester Housing Authority and Worcester Animal Rescue League.

Elexa Waugh-Quasebarth, Boston University Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation
Chelsea Soldier’s Home: Elexa collaborated with the veterans and staff at Chelsea Soldier’s Home to develop an unrestrictive arts program for aged veterans with neurodegenerative disease. 

Ashley Younger, Boston College Connell School of Nursing
Voice of the Gospel Tabernacle Church, Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Ashley’s project was a two-fold approach to health disparities in the Haitian community of Mattapan.  First she organized a scholarship program to provide Haitian immigrants with certified nursing assistant training and state certification.  Second, the scholars were trained as community outreach educators to implement an intervention on illness prevention and cancer screening projects among the local community.

2007-2008

Danielle Adams, Clark University
Strengthening Vulnerable Communities in the Worcester Built Environment: Through community monitoring, participatory education and resource model creation, Danielle collaborated with local residents and organizations to alleviate indoor pollution problems and provides a model for other communities facing similar problems.

Shirley Austin, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Catholic Charities: Shirley’s project addressed the oral health needs of the newly settled Somali Bantu and the Burmese/Myanmar families.  Specifically Shirley worked to address the language and cultural barriers that new immigrants face when seeking oral health care.

Sara Burton, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – Nursing
Saint Vincent Hospital: Sara collaborated with the volunteer program at Saint Vincent Hospital to enhance the services provided by the volunteer department and increase the capacity for older adults to volunteer at the hospital.  Sara also served as a companion to an elderly woman at the Worcester Senior Center.

Jason Carmichael, Brandeis University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Alpha Thalassemia Awareness Project: Jason collaborated with Tufts-New England Medical Center and Lowell General Hospital to improve the access of genetic health information for Cambodian families in Lowell. Specifically, the project addressed the Cambodian community's knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding alpha thalassemia, a severe anemic condition prevalent in this community. Through the development of educational materials in Khmer and conducting community outreach, this project helped the population make informed health care decisions.

Emily Christiansen and Nadia Stegeman, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Emily and Nadia have surveyed veterinarians and developed a list of veterinary care related resources for animal disaster response throughout the state.  They also created and distributed pertinent disaster planning information to local veterinarians to improve the community's capacity to respond to an emergency.

Richard Downey, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences – Nursing
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Barbara McInnis House: Richard provided hair cuts to the homeless individuals who stay at the Barbara McInnis House, a 90 bed facility for homeless people recovering from illness. Richard strengthened the sustainability of this program by recruiting additional volunteers and securing donations. 

Pritesh Gandhi and Laura Hooper, Tufts University School of Medicine
Operation Frontline: Pritesh and Laura volunteered with Operation Frontline to provide on-going education on nutrition, healthy cooking, and food budgeting to low-income Boston residents. They also collaborated with Operation Frontline to strengthen the organization's capacity to serve low-income participants by developing a nutritional curriculum for parents of young children and a series of online volunteer training videos. 

Nicolas Gonzalez Castro, Harvard Medical School - Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Sciences and Technology
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program:  Nicolas assisted in direct care activities serving as a medical interpreter for Hispanic patients, and translating brochures and other materials into Spanish.

Wilson Grandin, Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program: Wilson collaborated with BHCHP to organize a support group for homeless patients suffering from HIV infection and substance abuse.

Rebecca Hanson and Elizabeth Lima, BU-Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
TILL TRASE: Rebecca and Elizabeth organized group sessions to facilitate the development of participants in the TILL TRASE, an after school program for adolescents with developmental delays.  The group sessions focused on nutrition education and cooking classes to prepare healthy snacks. 

Mary Higgins, MGH Institute for Health Professions
Wellspring Cape Ann Families (WCAF): For the past year Mary collaborated with WCAF, a community-based program in Gloucester, MA, which provides support and education to parents and children living in stressful situations and experiencing isolation.  Mary's project focused primarily on nutrition, positive parenting and family safety. She co-created "Recipes for Success", an insert that appeared in the Gloucester Daily Times, co-facilitated the Nurturing Program and Parent Connection, and helped develop a new initiative, "Home Alone", geared towards parents and youths, aged 11-14.

Matthew Ingham and Carolyn Vaughn, UMass Medical School
AIDS Project Worcester: Matthew and Carolyn conducted pre and post-test counseling, administered the rapid HIV tests at free clinics in Worcester, and organized the training of other medical students to carry out this task.  They also partnered with community members to start the Akwaaba Free Health Clinic to address the unmet health needs of Worcester’s African-immigrant population.

Adam Levin, New England Conservatory of Music
Adam's project was a multi-dimensional outreach program that serves a variety of different areas in healthcare, education, and community welfare.  He led a weekly music discussion and performed a musical program comprised of unique classical and flamenco traditions spanning the past 300 years, for participants at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.  He also started an after-school guitar workshop for students at English High School in Jamaica Plain. 

Yi Li, Harvard Medical School
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center: Yi served the program and volunteer coordinator for the Boston Asthma Swim program located in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood.  This program built upon evidence that swimming provides benefits to asthmatic children.  Once a week, the afterschool program brought together elementary-aged, asthmatic students for an educational session and a swimming lesson.  Students learned the basics of respiratory physiology, asthma care, and healthy lifestyle decisions.  The exercise component empowered children to pursue a lifetime of physical fitness.  In addition to recruiting new participants, Yi established a standardized curriculum, documented the program's structure and progress for networking with other national programs, increased community involvement and ownership in the program, and designed the first phase of a multi-year assessment to evaluate the program's impact on pediatric asthmatic participants.

Anthony Lim, Boston University School of Medicine
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Barbara McInnis House:  Anthony led support groups for homeless individuals recuperating from illness at the Barbara McInnis House in Jamaica Plain.  The sessions addressed important issues relevant to Boston's homeless population, such as improving organizational skills, problem-solving, coping with stress and anxiety, and complying with medical recommendations.  Outside of the support groups, Anthony conducted structured one-on-one interviews of the residents, helped lead walking groups, and assisted at two health fairs put on at the Pine Street Inn and Long Island Shelter.

Laura Little, MGH Institute for Health Professions
Boys and Girls Club: Laura developed a health and fitness program for pre-teen girls at the Boys and Girls Club in Charlestown.  Each week she introduced the girls to a new physical activity such as yoga, tumbling and kung-fu.  Each session integrated brief physiological lessons, such as taking heart rate before during and after an activity and ended with a healthy snack.

Ashiyana Nariani, Tufts University School of Medicine 
Building Bridges: Ashiyana organized the First Annual "Bridging the Gap with Faith" Conference that brought together religious heads and community members in order to discuss ways to improve collaborations between religious communities and their role in medicine. She partnered with Sadhu Vaswani Mission and Tufts Interfaith Council to organize free health screenings at a variety of religious centers in Massachusetts. They also organized drives to provide food and clothing to individuals at various homeless shelters. Finally, she built a team within the Tufts Medical School & Dental School communities that will continue the outreach program that she created.

Allan Pang and Parita Patel, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Bridge Over Trouble Water: Allan and Parita's project aimed to increase awareness about oral health for at-risk and homeless youth in Boston. They developed an oral health education program for Bridge's residential facilities, performed oral health screenings, and provided treatment.

Geoffrey Pickering, Boston College Law School
AIDS Action Committee: Geoffrey’s project addressed the CORI requirement as a hurdle for people living with HIV/AIDS to find housing and obtain employment. He also served as a legal volunteer to help clients address a variety of legal issues. 

Allison Quady, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition
St. Francis House: Allison collaborated with St. Francis House, a homeless shelter in downtown Boston.  Allison and members of the St. Francis House community discussed nutrition and prepared healthy meals with ingredients from the community garden they created together.

Elizabeth Selden, Boston University School of Medicine
South End Community Health Center: Elizabeth helped to pilot a weight management group at the South End Community Health Center.  She also facilitated a walking group with participants.

Tara Slivinski, UMass Medical School
Family Health Center: Tara worked with the Family Health Center to increase their patients’ utilization of exercise programs available at the YWCA through the creation of patient exercise plans and other free exercise resources in English, Spanish, and with visual assistance.  The ultimate goal of the project was to improve usage of the free exercise access to patients, especially in improving three specific areas of health concern:  diabetes, obesity, and depression.  Tara also organized a weekly walking group to encourage physical activity in the community. 

Zirui Song, Harvard Medical School
Brookside Community Health Center: Zirui collaborated with the Brookside Community Health Center in Jamaica Plain to develop a youth sports program.  His project was part of a comprehensive approach to encourage pediatric patients to adopt a healthier and more physically fit lifestyle.

Michelle St. Fleur, UMass Medical School
Great Brook Valley, Worcester Housing Authority: Michelle served as the Director of the Center for Healthy Kids, a local resource for kids living at Great Brook Valley to learn about health and nutrition.  Michelle was responsible for all programming run through the Center, ensuring that all activities have the overall health of the children as their aim.

Tuyen Trinh, Harvard School of Public Health
Dorchester Multi-service House: Tuyen's project composed of two components. The first was a weekly workshop, called "Me, Mommy & Movement”, designed for young and vulnerable mothers and their babies. The workshop focused on three objectives: 1) mother-child bonding through music and dancing, 2) effective parenting skills, and 3) nutrition education and counseling for healthy child growth. The second component was an implementation of a new screening system to detect early signs of developmental delays among children ages 0 to 3.

Venis Wilder, Harvard Medical School
ByUs! Media: Venis collaborated with the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston to create a program to inspire a positive self-image of minority youth, with the goal of positively impacting self-esteem and altering negative images of self.  Venis worked with participants to design public media campaigns about non-violence and image to decrease the incidence of violence.  

James S. Yeh, Boston University School of Medicine
Boston Medical Center: James' project increased the level and improved the manner in which alcohol and drug screening, brief intervention, referral and treatment were provided in outpatient (emergency department, primary care clinics, and urgent care center) and inpatient settings at Boston Medical Center.  James served as a medical student health promotional advocate working with MASBIRT (Massachusetts Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment) to conduct screenings and offer brief intervention using motivational interviewing techniques with patients to elicit self-directed changes.  Additionally, James worked with the medical school faculty to create a curriculum for medical students to gain clinical skills and knowledge in diagnosing and treating substance abuse.

Sarah Zaman, Harvard Medical School
Cambridge Health Care for the Homeless: Sarah worked with homeless women in Greater Boston to create a resource book about health and homelessness as they have experienced it.  She organized focus groups and writing workshops at several shelters and clinics, so women at different stages of homelessness could share strategies on staying healthy.  Their advice was collected into a guidebook, to be distributed to newly homeless women through shelter enrollment programs.

2006-2007

Najiba Akbar, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work
Indigo House: Najiba designed and conducted weekly healthy lifestyles classes for teen girls living at Indigo House, a shelter for adolescent girls who are in the custody of the Department of Social Services (DSS). The curriculum focused on the following key areas of health and wellness: nutrition, exercise, and mental health. The curriculum was delivered in the form of workshops, guest speakers, field trips, videos, and group discussions.

Justin Au, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Project CORRECT: Justin expanded the existing Project CORRECT (Child Oral Rehabilitation Residential Education Counseling and Therapy), which provides oral health education, and prevention instruction to children housed in residential treatment centers.  He also created a manual including lesson plans, outlines, and resources.

Manasa Basavapatna, Harvard Medical School
Children's Hospital Boston: Manasa worked with the Youth Advisory Program at the Center For Young Women's Health at Children's Hospital Boston. She developed a comprehensive training curriculum for the new female peer advisors. The curriculum contains aspects of leadership and development training (goal setting, critical thinking, group facilitation, presentation skills), and several modules pertaining to adolescent health and well being (teen violence, safety, self image, media, reproductive health).
Manasa also ran several training sessions with the girls, and prepared them to lead education sessions in the community in local schools, community centers and more.

Maria Broderick, New England School of Acupuncture
New England School of Acupuncture: Maria’s project educated parents and school professionals on the benefits of acupuncture for the treatment of ADHD. She also provided low-cost treatment to adolescents with ADHD at the New England School of Acupuncture teaching clinic in Watertown.

Rob Chamberlin, Boston University School of Medicine
Boston Medical Center, Haitian Health Institute: Rob worked with the Haitian Health Institute (HHI) to increase the number of Haitian-American students who choose to pursue a career in health care. This was accomplished by working with the Haitian Health Institute to develop the framework for a mentoring program, helping to organize a day-long healthcare conference for Haitian American high school students, and doing some one-on-one mentoring of a local high school student.  

Darrah Doyle and Jay Lawrence, UMass Medical School
Darrah and Jay continued The Wellbeing Collaborative, a UMass Medical School initiative to educate underserved residents in the greater Worcester area about health and health care issues.  Jay and Darrah formed partnerships with community newspapers including The African Radiant and the In City Times.  They published articles about relevant health topics including health care reform in Massachusetts, identifying early signs of a stroke, and recognizing when childhood illnesses require visits to a primary care physician.  Articles were written by medical students with collaboration from community doctors and faculty of the UMass Medical School.

Dustin Duncan, Harvard School of Public Health
Open Doors to Health: Dustin volunteered with the Open Doors to Health Program to increase physical activity to prevent chronic diseases and mitigate health disparities among public housing residents (who are low-income predominately racial/ethnic minorities) in Roxbury and Dorchester. To achieve this goal, Dustin created a culturally appropriate resource guide about physical activity opportunities for underserved residents in these communities and assisted with administrative aspects of the ODH program in the office and at the public housing sites, which raised awareness about the importance of physical activity.

Shennen Floy, Harvard Medical School
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center: Shennen served as the program and volunteer coordinator for the asthma swim program for Chinatown youth at the South Cove Community Health Center. In addition to recruiting new participants, program goals included developing a second classroom curriculum targeted to multi-year participants in the fifth and sixth grades, increasing parental involvement through parent meetings and monthly newsletters, and elevated community involvement and ownership in the program, including but not limited to recruiting additional high school volunteers from the Chinatown area. Shennen designed and executed the first phase of a multi-year assessment evaluating the Boston Asthma Swim program's impact on pediatric asthmatic participants.

Sade Foose, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Pharmacy
Sade created a pamphlet that focuses on informing parents and caregivers about the many over-the-counter choices they have when treating their children. The pamphlet focuses on teaching parents how to read medication bottles to avoid giving their kids multiple medications with the same ingredients. Also included are examples of products for common ailments, and what information to keep track of when trying to choose medications.

Melanie Gaiser, Tufts University School of Medicine - Public Health
Southern New Hampshire Medical Center (SNHMC): Melanie coordinated the design of a "healing" garden and related activities for psychiatric inpatients at SNHMC in Nashua, New Hampshire. The project gave patients an opportunity to interact with their natural surroundings during their stay in the Behavioral Health Unit and start a new hobby that has the benefit of reducing stress and anxiety.

Stacy Gent, Tufts University School of Medicine - Public Health
Tewksbury Hospital Equestrian Farm: Stacy conducted volunteer recruitment activities for an equine facilitated program near Boston.  T.H.E. FARM, a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association certified center, is a non-profit organization providing therapeutic equestrian programs for the clients of the Tewksbury Hospital, as well as public riding programs and special events to individuals of all abilities.

Guibenson Hyppolite, Harvard Medical School
Riverside Health Center of Cambridge Hospital: Guibenson created and conducted an educational program for Haitian patients with diabetes. The goal of this project was to improve the health endpoints of diabetic patients among the Haitian immigrant population. The classes covered the biology of diabetes, potential effects of uncontrolled diabetes, specific exercise routines that patients can use, and nutritional modifications that cater to patients' unique diets.

Lara Jirmanus, UMass Medical School
Neighborhood Strength: Lara volunteered with "Neighborhood Strength: Strengthening Vulnerable Communities in the Worcester Built Environment", a participatory research project of the George Perkins Marsh Institute of Clark University in collaboration with the Family Health Center of Worcester, the Regional Environmental Council of Central Massachusetts and other community partners. She worked with Family Health Center in Worcester, MA, to develop a Health Outreach Workgroup with the participation of local residents to help the Health Center increase access to health care and better serve the community. The Health Outreach Workgroup organized several focus groups to learn more about the health needs of the community, which lent insight into the gaps in access to health services in Worcester's immigrant communities. Lara also participated in other community based initiatives, including the Worcester Immigrant Rights Coalition and the United African Communities organization.

Sari Kalin, Simmons College Graduate School of Health Sciences
Share Our Strength/ Operation Frontline: Sari volunteered with Operation Frontline to help create a packet of recipes that reflect Boston's ethnic diversity. She also provided on-going education on nutrition, healthy cooking, and food budgeting to low-income Boston residents.

Amanda Lewis, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences- Nursing
Outdoor Explorations: Amanda has volunteered with OE this past year serving as a leader on trips and group work. Outdoor Explorations provides opportunities for people with disabilities to experience the outdoors. Trips include weekend long camping trips, hiking, canoeing, white water rafting and sailing just to name a few. She participated in several of these, including snowshoeing and indoor rock climbing in the winter. She also helped organize a recruiting event that had over 90 applicants, the most ever for OE. Her time was spent assisting others to challenge themselves and try new things.

Michelle Long, Tufts University School of Medicine
Michelle volunteered with the Sharewood Project health clinic in Malden to create a patient database to keep track of information from each patient encounter.  This database will be used to better target care to the population that utilizes the clinic and also to identify new services that are needed in the community.  Michelle was excited to make the first change at Sharewood based on information from the database - since so many patients find out about the clinic through the Sharewood website, Michelle updated the website to contain a more patient centered website (www.sharewood.info).

Lexi Malkin, New England College of Optometry
Elder's Right to Sight Collaborative (ERTS): Lexi evaluated current environmental conditions in public housing and educating seniors about lighting, contrast, and visual health. Her project consisted of resident education and further development of current grassroots efforts among residents and resident councils.

Meghan Moda, Clark University
Strengthening Vulnerable Communities in the Worcester Built Environment: Meghan collaborated with multiple community organizations including the Regional Environmental Council, Family Health Center, and Worcester Youth Center, to educate Worcester residents about environmental health issues including air pollution and indoor health hazards like mold and radon.  Through this project, Meghan involved community residents in sampling for environmental health issues and then determines potential household and community solutions to these issues.

Katie Muse-Fisher, Boston College Lynch School of Education
Academy of the Pacific Rim (APR): Katie formulated psycho-educational workshops for families of Boston public school students to improve the mental health of middle school students. Katie organized several information workshops for families to address unmet health needs.  The goal was to distribute relevant psycho-educational information to families with the hope of supporting APR students. Workshop topics addressed academic and personal development.

David Nawrocki, MGH Institute for Health Professions
Kit Clark Senior Services Center: David’s project improved local community access to Alzheimer's patient and caregiver information through the organization and facilitation of patient and caregiver support group meetings in underserved Boston communities. David’s project also included program advocacy with the Massachusetts Alzheimer's organization addressing local community health care access for Alzheimer's patients.

Monica O’Reilly, Boston College Connell School of Nursing & Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center (EBNHC): This project was supported by the Health Resources and Service Administration's Health Disparities Collaborative which aims to transform primary care in order to eliminate health disparities. Monica volunteered with the Depression Collaborative team at EBNHC.  The team tested and studied changes and interventions that address barriers to access and the continuity of depression care in the immigrant communities of East Boston.

Vaishali Patel, Harvard Medical School
Citizen Schools: Vaishali volunteered with Citizen Schools of Boston to design and develop an anti-tobacco education curriculum to incorporate into an after-school program for middle school and high school students. Using activities that strengthen academic and leadership skills such as writing, debate, performance, and arithmetic, the curriculum spotlighted issues such as the negative health impacts of tobacco, tobacco influences in the media, and the global consequences of tobacco use. The modules culminated in creative and inventive anti-tobacco projects that the students designed in groups to educate their peers.

Michelle Peart, Boston University School of Dental Medicine
Michelle’s project expanded a newly establish oral health initiative that provides dental screenings, fluoride varnish application, classroom-based dental education and parent and staff trainings.  This project served children (birth to school age) enrolled in the four Associated Early care and Education Centers in Metropolitan Boston.

Itamar Ringel, New England Conservatory of Music
Itamar gave educational concerts for communities in need, presenting various types of music such as classical, ethnic and contemporary. The concerts showed the connection between these different musical traditions and their relevance and vitality today.

Scott Smalley, Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program
Sharewood Project: Scott volunteered for The Sharewood Project in Malden. This is a student-run, free health clinic where he provided direct patient care, under physician supervision, to uninsured community members of greater Boston. In addition, Scott drafted a Feasibility Study to identify the opportunities and challenges of expanding the scope of practice of the clinic by suggesting two options: establishing a second night of free health service or starting a new clinic in a new location of Boston.

Jon Snyder, Tufts University School of Medicine
Jon worked with Health Care for All to improve its Helpline, a resource to aid people in accessing programs for reduced and free health care in the Boston area.  Jon also volunteered, providing direct medical services at the Sharewood Project, a free student-run clinic in Medford.

Elly Stout, Tufts University School of Medicine - Health Communication
Boston Health Care for the Homeless (BHCHP): Elly volunteered with the BHCHP HIV Team to develop a brochure and patient pocket card to increase awareness of BHCHP's comprehensive services for homeless persons with HIV. She also worked with the BHCHP Diabetes Collaborative to do formative research with providers and patients; this research will be used to develop materials to support homeless persons in successfully managing their diabetes among homeless persons.

Charles Strom, UMass Medical School
Great Brook Valley, Worcester Housing Authority: Charles volunteered at Great Brook Valley, teaching nutrition and exercise classes to elementary and middle school-aged residents. During the summer, he instituted an outdoor exercise program with the kids, focusing on aerobic games and relay races and teaching about heart rate, oxygen consumption, and blood pressure. Charles also tutored Liberian refugees at "the Valley," working on the English and math they are learning in school.
 
Leah Swann, New England Conservatory Music
Paraclete Center: Leah taught an interdisciplinary music class and violin lessons at an after school program in South Boston for underserved students.  The class examined the relationship between music and other subjects while offering the students hands-on experience with instruments as they learned to play the violin.  She believes that while many public schools have music programs, there is no context for that music and there is no relationship between it and the students’ lives or the other material they are learning in school. Thus, despite these fledgling music programs, the students are unlikely to remain invested or interested in music, and unlikely to enjoy the myriad of ways that an engagement in the arts can contribute to a healthier, more creative lifestyle.

Susan Swords, UMass Medical School
Great Brook Valley, Worcester Housing Authority: Susan taught yoga classes to children at Great Brook Valley. The weekly yoga class helped her students gain improved appreciation for their bodies, helped them better analyze and control their emotions, and improved self-esteem. Susan also held a discussion group after each class to talk with the students about issues such as body image, anger issues, and any other issues that come up during the self-examination that is inherent in a yoga and meditation practice.

Joanna Toke, Boston College Law School
AIDS Action Committee: Joanna’s project addressed the CORI requirement as a hurdle for people living with HIV/AIDS to find housing. She ran monthly workshops for individuals who encountered problems with their CORI and assisted clients in preparing for court. Joanna also developed a reference book to aid both clients and professionals in handling CORI-related problems.

Juliana Wilkinson, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Nursing
Pernet Family Health: Juliana is volunteered with Pernet Family Health, an organization that provides a variety of services for women and children. Juliana provided free nursing home visits to new mothers and their infants who otherwise would not qualify for care.  She also designed and offered a mindfulness-based stress reduction module within the weekly parenting group at Pernet.

Donna Wysokenski, Clark University
Strengthening Vulnerable Communities in the Worcester Built Environment: Donna engaged community members in participatory action research to identify environmental and other factors that impact community health.  Together with the Health Outreach Workgroup (HOW) she helped conduct health listening sessions with the Vietnamese and African communities as well as with Worcester youth.  She also worked with school-based health centers in the Main South neighborhood on an asthma project.

2005-2006

Olufemi Adegoke, Harvard School of Public Health
Roca: Femi worked with a non-profit organization, Roca, that implements programs which enhance the health and well-being of youth, families, and residents of Chelsea, Lynn, Revere, and East Boston. The goal of his project was to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS and un-intended pregnancy through behavioral change communication and promoting condom use.

Julia Africa, New England School of Acupuncture
Pathways to Wellness: Julia provided free acupuncture treatments to long-term survivors of AIDS at Pathways To Wellness, a nonprofit public health organization that provides holistic care in Boston.

Tara Agrawal and Afsan Bhadelia, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
International Rescue Committee (IRC): Tara and Afsan collaborated with IRC on their Northstar Curriculum to develop a series of health literacy workshops to complement existing IRC services through an extended focus on public health related issues.  Their project consisted of home-based and community workshops on topics including: understanding perceptions of health in the Bantu community, nutrition and healthy eating, family health, mental health, and neurological disorders.  Program activities included focus group discussions that utilized health literacy curricula and promoted health messages while increasing health related vocabulary.

Marlene Camacho, Tufts University School of Medicine, Graduate Program in Public Health
Boston Asthma Initiative: Marlene worked on the Healthy Public Housing Initiative to develop training programs for resident asthma advocates and took part in the recruitment of the advocates. Her project also included developing an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program.

Merredith Collins, Boston University School of Public Health
International Rescue Committee and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health: Merredith volunteered with a Boston-based organization that focuses on refugee and immigrant health, particularly focusing on those who have suffered mental health trauma due to civil conflicts, abuse, or illness due to HIV and AIDS.

Deborah Cook, Harvard School of Public Health
MCI-Framingham: Deborah assisted in a newspaper project at the women’s prison in Framingham. She worked with the women to create a health column in the paper and a calendar to educate and empower the inmates to make better choices about their health both behind bars and once they reenter society.

Christine Daniels, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work
Brockton Neighborhood Health Center: Christine collaborated with the Health Center to create a project for Brockton’s homeless men and women have improved access to the health and community services they need to be well.

Jamie Levine Davis, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Boston Living Center and Cambridge Cares About AIDS: Jamie provided services to African American women in the Boston area who are affected by HIV/AIDS.  She provided prevention and health-promotion services to women who are HIV-positive or at high risk for HIV.

Ana Diaz, Harvard School of Public Health
Roca: Ana assisted with the development of a business that provides training and jobs for disenfranchised youth. Ana also assisted Roca in planning and research, recruitment of youth, and served as a role model for young Latinos.

Surbhi Grover, Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth Stone House: Surbhi continued the Women Survivors Health Initiative, a project that promotes awareness about health-related issues and encourages community building amongst women living in the Elizabeth Stone House. The project consisted of continuing to develop the women’s prevention and health promotion curriculum, and using it to conduct weekly interactive small group workshops aimed at helping residents develop into peer health educators.

Kelly Hannon, BU-Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
Children's Hospital Boston, Project Respite Care: Kelly worked with Project Respite Care, which matches qualified college students with families of children with special health care needs. Additionally, she worked on Steps to Success, a program co-sponsored by Project Respite Care, Children's Hospital Boston and the Boston Ballet.  Steps to Success is an innovative program designed to increase the activity levels of children with Down Syndrome using respite care and participation in an adaptive dance program.

Amie Jo Hatch, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Worcester
MassMedline: Amie contacted doctors in the Worcester area that currently refer their patients to MassMedline, a toll-free hotline that provides prescription information and referrals. She educated them on all services offered by the program and obtained feedback on health outcomes of patients they have referred.

Fizza Jafry, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Kennedy Hope Academy at Franciscan Children’s Hospital: Fizza expanded the existing Project CORRECT (Child Oral Rehabilitation Residential Education Counseling and Therapy), which provides oral health education to children housed in residential treatment centers. In addition to providing direct service at Kennedy Hope Academy, Fizza motivated more dental students to become involved in the project.

Natalie Langlois, Boston College Law School
Greater Boston Legal Services – Health & Disability Unit: Natalie worked on a program that provides free legal services, advice, and information to low-income disabled individuals concerning their health care coverage through MassHealth, as well as their disability benefits through Social Security.  She worked on a program through GBLS, the Medicare Advocacy Project, that provides free legal services, advice, and information to Medicare beneficiaries concerning their health care coverage through Medicare.

Celeste Lopez, Harvard Medical School
Bridging the Gap: Celeste led Bridging the Gap, a refugee/ immigrant family advocacy and medical student immigrant health education project. She organized and coordinated educational and cultural sessions for students and families to participate in together.

Candice McElroy and Sarah Teasdale, UMASS Medical School
Great Brook Valley, Worcester Housing Authority: Candice and Sarah taught nutrition and arts classes that enhanced a six-week curriculum developed and taught by UMass medical students about nutrition and healthy living.  Their project now has a permanent home in the establishment of the Center for Healthy Kids at Great Brook Valley.

Ashley Morris, Harvard Medical School
MGH Revere Youth Zone: Ashley worked at the MGH Revere Youth Zone, which provides a safe place for youth to seek sexual health care, develop life skills, and gain support in dealing with the challenges of adolescence. Her project specifically reached out to and improved the quality and sensitivity of care provided to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth.

Zachary Morris, Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth Stone House: Zachary created MESH (Mentors at Elizabeth Stone House).  This program provided mentorship for the adolescent boys residing with their mothers at the Elizabeth Stone House, a Roxbury shelter for victims of domestic violence.  The mentors met weekly with their mentees for the purpose of tutoring, discussion, and recreation.

Vilas Patwardhan, UMASS Medical School
Vilas published a medical student-run community health newspaper. The newspaper was distributed at no cost throughout Worcester and was published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The paper contains relevant health topics and informs people on how they can better access medical care.

John Reyes, MGH Institute for Health Professionals
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center: John worked with the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center to evaluate the community's need for a literacy and health education class for new immigrant community members. He also acted as a Spanish interpreter and an assistant in the Urgent Care unit.

Cherisse Sardon Garrity, Boston College Connell School of Nursing
Healing Our Community Collaborative (HOCC): Cherisse worked with the Healing Our Community Collaborative program, which provides HIV prevention and education programs to high-risk women. She focused on reaching out to the Greater Boston community to increase the number of women who are aware of HOCC’s programs.

Rachael Sargent, UMASS-Boston School of Nursing
Rockingham Park: Rachael ran a health clinic for migrant workers at the Rockingham Park horse racing track in Salem, New Hampshire. She expanded the project by reaching out to more of the population and provided health care screening and preventative care.

Meghan Slining, Tufts University School of Medicine, Graduate Program in Public
Health/Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Share Our Strength/Operation Frontline: Meghan provided on-going education on nutrition, healthy cooking, and food budgeting to low-income Boston residents. She also conducted a study that provides data for Operation Frontline program staff to assist in the assessment of the appropriateness of the current nutrition education curriculum to the needs of their clientele.  The data is also useful in the design of future interventions. 

Monica Soto-Gil, New England Conservatory of Music
Hattie B. Cooper Community Center: Monica worked in Roxbury, where she initiated and led a music program for preschool and kindergarten students.  The program gave children a basic musical education and introduced them to genres and instruments they may not have been exposed to otherwise.

Amit Sura, Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston Public Health Commission: Amit worked with the Boston Public Health Commission on their Health Van; he provided screening services such as blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure testing.  Amit worked with a medically uninsured and underserved population to provide them with valuable resources and encourage continuity of care.

Stacy Truta, Harvard Medical School
The BABIES Program: Stacy reorganized the BABIES program at Harvard Medical School, a program that unites medical students with pregnant and parenting adolescents.  After performing a needs assessment analysis, she implemented new program components including expanded volunteer training, a resource manual, and educational group sessions for teen parents.  She also served as a mentor for several young mothers.

Raymond Tsai, Harvard School of Public Health
Wellmet Project: Raymond provided assistance and support to families and individuals that face cultural barriers to health care in the Boston area. He focused on helping immigrant and refugee families get beyond the cultural barriers that have prevented them from acquiring health care.

2004-2005

Dominic Amirtharaj, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Cambridge Department of Social Services: Dominic developed a mentoring program for older adolescents in the social service system.  Dominic’s program focused on career development in preparation for independent living beyond the social service system.

Katharine Barnes, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester PIP Shelter: Katharine conducted health education classes for female clients at the PIP shelter in Worcester. 

Binta Beard, Harvard School of Public Health
Binta participated in the HIV/AIDS outreach and early intervention programs for at risk youth in the Boston area. 

Michaelina Bolton and Joline Swonger, Boston University School of Medicine
United South End Settlements: Joline and Michaelina worked in an after-school program to educate girls and boys 8-11 about health, wellness, and science.

Melissa Cole, Harvard School of Public Health
MetroLacrosse: Melissa incorporated a healthy lifestyle educational program for the approximately 500 underserved youth participating in MetroLacrosse.  The educational program had three goals: to teach the importance of good nutrition, sustained exercise, and the dangers associated with drug/alcohol use; to provide participants with a listing of community resources; and to have participants become positive role models, in health and nutrition, for their families and peers.

Gabriela Diaz, New England Conservatory of Music
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: Gabriela organized and performed in a series of chamber music performances in the oncology unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  She also organized two benefit concerts for local cancer research organizations.

Darrell Doucette, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Homeless Outreach Project: Darrell worked with the homeless population at the PIP shelter in Worcester. He provided basic medical care to the shelter patrons as well as conducted a survey of insurance status.

Nikora Downey, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Cambridge Women’s Center: Nikora provided childcare services at the Women's Center in Cambridge and introduced these groups of hearing children to Deaf culture and American Sign Language.  She also volunteered at DEAF Inc. to assist with their role in Project Hope, a program that provides education and outreach on HIV/AIDS in the community.   

Kerri Gosselin, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless: Kerri worked with the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless program, as part of both the Street and Family Outreach teams.  She visited shelters in the greater Boston area to assess the nutritional needs of the residents and their children.  Kerri also rode on the Pine Street Outreach Van, and frequently visited residents of the Boston Night Center. 

Meenakashi Gupta, Harvard Medical School
Dorchester House Teen Center: Meenakashi developed and implemented Chef it Up!, an after-school cooking program that teaches teens about the link between diet and disease, while helping them cultivate pragmatic skills that will enable them to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Rachel Hallberg, Boston University, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Animals as Intermediaries: Rachel worked with a local non-profit agency to develop and deliver animal and nature-based programs for elders with physical, cognitive, and social impairments who have limited access to the outdoors.

Brooke Howard, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Home for Little Wanderers: Brooke ran a weekly wellness/exercise group in the residential treatment program that has been identified as the agency's model for wellness implementation.  In addition, she supported the administrative staff in their agency-wide Wellness Initiative through resource identification, feedback, and staff and volunteer training.

Matthew Keller and Babak Nazer, Harvard Medical School
South End Community Health Center:  Matt and Babak conducted a summer and fall basketball camp with a nutritional education component for children ages 8-13 who are overweight or otherwise at risk for obesity.

Nadia Khouri, Boston University School of Public Health
International Rescue Committee: Nadia provided outreach to refugee/immigrant families regarding accessing and understanding options for health insurance.  She included information about the application process and eligibility and provided assistance in filling out enrollment paperwork.

Julie Lamb, Harvard School of Public Health
Science Club for Girls: Julie worked with the Science Club for Girls, developing and implementing after-school projects for 2nd grade girls interested in the field of science.

Gladys Lee, Boston University School of Medicine
Unite for Sight: Gladys worked with students at BU School of Medicine to provide vision screenings at shelters, schools, and other community centers.  She also conducted two eyeglass drives in the Fall and Spring.

Sarah Oppenheimer, Harvard School of Public Health
The POWER (Partnering Opportunity with Educational Resources) Initiative:
Sarah worked on a collaborative effort between the AIDS Action Committee, Plymouth County Correctional Facility, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to create an educational and skills-building resource for incarcerated men living with HIV/AIDS.

Marisa Pease and Rick Sollom, New England School of Acupuncture
International Institute of Boston: Rick and Marisa provided acupuncture treatments to refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers in the Boston area who suffer from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Beverly Shin, New England Conservatory of Music
Josiah Quincy Elementary School: Beverly created highly interactive music outreach programs for kindergarten students at the Quincy school.  The programs were designed to encourage students to access their innate musicianship and creativity in a hands-on, communal setting.

Viviany Taqueti, Harvard Medical School
Family Van: Viviany worked on the Family Van Writing Project to create a written manuscript containing narratives, photographs, and a quantitative sociodemographic profile documenting the work of the Family Van in serving community health.

Jennifer Usas, Harvard School of Public Health
Children's Hospital Boston: Jennifer worked with Project Respite Care to provide respite for a family whose child has special needs.

Lisa Viveiros, University of Massachusetts Boston School of Nursing
Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center: Lisa ran breast-feeding and childbirth education classes for Latina women.

Emily Whitfield, University of Massachusetts Medical School
AIDS Care Project: Emily volunteered as a clinical assistant and developed a survey to determine the needs in Worcester.

Eileen Wu, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Healthworks:  Eileen worked with the staff of a not-for-profit gym, Healthworks Foundation Fitness Center, to create physical activity education materials and a strength training instructional DVD.  Additionally she will be providing staff training based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change to help introduce these materials.  This 3,500 square foot facility provides free gym membership for single mothers and low-income women in the greater Boston area and is fully equipped with a complete line of cardiovascular machines, strength training equipment, and a group exercise studio.

Ying Wu, Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth Stone House: Ying developed Healthy New You, a project that aims to promote the health and well-being of survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse who live in transitional housing/shelters.

Jane Yoo, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
Boston Medical Center, HIV/AIDS Clinical Research Center: Jane worked with the Clinical Research Center to understand attitudes of African men and women towards medical research, in order to overcome major barriers to access and enrollment in HIV/AIDS clinical trials.

2003-2004 

Tobin Abraham, UMass Medical School
Special Olympics and Umass Medical School: Tobin assisted the Healthy Athletes Program and mobilized medical students to interact with this population group.

Rachel Anderson and Dana Yee, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Boys & Girls Club/Chinatown YMCA: Rachel and Dana Co-lead and expanded the Operation Mouthguard program that makes customized mouthguards for children and provides oral health education.

Sarah Billipp, New England School of Acupuncture
Sidney Borum Health Center: Sarah introduced teens with mild depression to the benefits of acupuncture and provided treatments.

Leena Bitar, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Chinatown YMCA: Leena promote oral health awareness and literacy for preschool children through reading.

Carolyn Casey, Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital: Carolyn facilitated collaborations between HAVEN & HMS by providing support and advocacy to victims of domestic violence.

Jennifer Cavallari, Harvard School of Public Health
MassCOSH: Jennifer assisted the Workers Resource Network campaign by performing an assessment of work-related health and safety needs and creating literature for workers on occupational health and safety.

Grace Chan, Harvard Medical School
South Cove Community Health Center: Grace developed an asthma swim program for kids and provided education on asthma management.

Tonya Fogleman, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Home for Little Wanderers: Tonya developed a self-esteem program for children at risk that discussed self-image, identifying problems, and planning means of overcoming problems.

Deborah Goldstein, Boston College Law School
MGH-Chelsea Clinic: Deborah educated patients on health and legal services that are available to them and recruited fellow law students to assist the project.

Liina Hynynen, Boston University School of Public Health
MATCH-UP: Liina conducted personal history interviews of residents of nursing homes and trained other volunteers in conducting oral history interviews.

Carolyn Hyson, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Jamaica Plain Asthma Environmental Initiative: Carolyn developed an asthma management and environmental health advocacy program.

Sachin Jain, Harvard Medical School
Harvard Square Homeless Health Clinic: Sachin served as student director for this student clinic, conducted a reassessment of clinic services, and suggested methods of quality improvement.

Karrie Kalich, Tufts University School of Nutrition
Keene State College: Karrie developed a service-learning program for undergraduates in the health science curriculum.

Lynn LaPierre, Boston College Law School
Mass Medline/Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences: Lynn educated seniors on prescription drug assistance programs.

Matthew Lewis, Harvard Medical School
Project Respite Care: Matt provided respite care for a family with a special needs child, developed a resource guide for medical students on caring for special needs children, and recruited volunteers.

Rachel Meltzer, Tufts University School of Nutrition
Tufts School of Nutrition/City of Somerville: Rachel helped develop the communication aspect of a Somerville-wide childhood obesity intervention program.

Gary Mendese, UMass Medical School
University of Massachusetts Memorial Healthcare Pediatric Clinic: Gary assisted the literacy program at the clinic by reading to children in the waiting room and work with local Worcester organizations to encourage children to read.

Haley Naik & Lakshmi Nelson, Harvard Medical School
Prevention Now! at Hennigan School: Haley and Lakshmi co-lead and expanded Girl Power, a science and health educational and mentoring program for African-American and Latina girls.

Caroline Nemet, Boston University Sargent College, Occupational Therapy
Women’s Lunch Place: Caroline developed a life skills program for young mothers in transitional housing.

Vidya Raju, Tufts University School of Medicine
Brookside Community Health Center: Vidya provided diabetes prevention education to clients in Jamaica Plain.

Lindsay Rosenfeld, Harvard School of Public Health
La Alianza Hispana and other organizations: Lindsay trained professionals at multiservice organizations and community health centers on health literacy and helped them develop literature at appropriate reading levels for their clients.

Jennifer Siegel, Harvard Medical School
MassCOSH: Jennifer help expand the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow and helped develop their Healthy Schools Network program.

Maya Vijayaraghavan, Boston University School of Medicine
BU Outreach Van Project: Maya coordinated the ongoing work of the van in East Boston and expand services provided through the van. Boston Coalition for Adult Immunization: Co-coordinated the BCAI project at BU for the fall immunization campaign.

Robert Wall, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Health & Educational Services, Inc & Transformational Assistance for Offenders (TAO): Robert Taught mindfulness skills to homeless, mentally-ill, and the incarcerated individuals to help decrease levels of self-violence and regulate emotional stress.

Grand Wong, Tufts University School of Medicine
Media and Technology Charter High School (MATCH): Developed a peer-education health and wellness curriculum for students and teachers.

2002-2003

Anh Bui, Harvard Medical School
Vietnamese Cable TV: Anh worked with the Health NOW! Health Literacy Initiative, to improve health literacy in the Vietnamese-American community through ESL health class segments on Vietnamese cable TV.

Lorraine Cordeiro, Tufts School of Nutrition Science & Policy
Helping Others Prepare for Education Project (HOPE): Lorraine provided health and nutrition workshops for Southeast Asian teens in Lowell.

Keith Dominick, UMass Medical School
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA): Keith served as a caseworker for abused or neglected children who were transitioning to permanent homes.

Kevin Fairley, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Nursing
T.H.E. Brain Trust:  Kevin assisted the strategic development of the organization and lead focus groups of people with brain injuries on using computer-based consumer health information systems and improving provider-patient health care interactions.

Elizabeth Freck-Frasier, Boston University School of Medicine
BU Outreach Van Project: Elizabeth worked with the Latino Health Institute, Boston Health Care for the Homeless, and other organizations to improve and expand services offered to transient populations.

Yulika Fridman, Tufts University Child Development
Jewish Children & Family Services: Yulika identified and conducted a needs assessment of isolated frail Russian elderly survivors of the Holocaust and connected them with volunteers to reduce their social isolation.

Daniel Gluck, Harvard Law School
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau: As President of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, Daniel provided free services and expanded the pool of clients and law students who serve as volunteers.

Joyce Hairston and Dayle Whiteman, Harvard Medical School
Hennigan School: Joyce and Dayle lead Girl Power, a Boston Schweitzer project initiated in 2000-01 that introduces science and health education to adolescent African American and Latina girls.

Daniel Helfet-Hilliker, UMass Medical School
Queen Street Family Practice:  Daniel assisted in the development of the center’s depression screening program by improving screening tools and documentation systems and conducting screenings.

Joan Hu, Harvard Medical School
Germaine Lawrence School for Girls: Joan lead an exercise & nutrition program for special-needs girls.

Todd Hultman, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Nursing
Cambridge Health Alliance: Todd provided Hepatitis C prevention education to injection drug users and helped develop materials appropriate to the literacy levels of clients.

Korena Larsen, Northeastern University Physician Assistant Program
Youth Enrichment Services (YES): Korena developed educational materials on preventing diabetes for youth, conducted workshops on health and nutrition, and organized outdoor sports activities.

Alice Lee, New England School of Acupuncture
The Cotting Connection & RowAsOne: Alice helped breast cancer survivors gain access to alternative care providers and helped lead qui-gong and other strengthening exercises.

Alessandro Mangili, Tufts School of Medicine
Immigrant Workers Resource Center & Latino Health Institute: Alessandro helped lead ESL, health education, and labor rights classes and compiled resources for health care for immigrants.

Sam Merabi, Tufts School of Dental Medicine
Franciscan Children's Hospital: Sam provided oral care to special needs children, including plaque testing and teaching patients proper dental care.

Sophie Naudeau, Tufts University Child Development
Edward J. Sullivan Courthouse Children's Center/District Courthouse: Sophie helped provide support to children of incarcerated parents and conducted a needs assessment of parents in incarceration or on probation.

Eileen O' Connell, UMass Boston Nursing
Boston Arts Academy: Eileen taught mind/body health connections to faculty, nurses, and students at the Boston Arts Academy.

Rachelle Pierre, Harvard Medical School
Haitian Health Careers Initiative: Rachelle continued a 2001-02 Boston Schweitzer project matching Haitian teens with Haitian mentors in health fields.

Wasana Punyasena, Boston College Law School
Physicians for Human Rights & PAIR project: Wasana established a network of mental health specialists to provide free mental health care to asylum seekers in INS detention centers who are victims of torture.

Christine Ricardo, Harvard School of Public Health
Somerville Primary Care: Christine conducted diabetes care outreach in the Brazilian immigrant community. She evaluated community needs in relation to existing health care services and built partnerships with community agencies.

Rishita Saraiya, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Boys & Girls Club of Boston: Rishita continued Operation Mouthguard, a Boston Schweitzer 01-02 project providing dental education and custom fitted mouthguards for children at the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Tanya Shah, UMass Medical School
Worcester Public Schools and Therapy & The Performing Arts: Tanya established a skating program for visually-impaired children and developed a curriculum for Therapy & the Performing Arts ice skating programs for special needs children and children with disabilities.

Doreen Toskos, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Doreen conducted oral hygiene/nutrition workshops and assisted in the provision of dental care to children and teens.

Michael Westerhaus, Harvard Medical School
PACT-DOT: Michael helped implement and run a directly observed drug therapy program for non-adherent HIV/AIDS patients.

Emily Wilcox, Simmons Graduate School of Health Sciences Nursing Program
Jamaica Plain Asthma/ Environment Initiative: Emily provided asthma education and support to elementary school children.

Rochelle Witt, Harvard Medical School
Suffolk County Jail & Boston-area ESL Centers: Rochelle continued Health NOW! Health Literacy Initiative with detainees in pre-trial detention and developed a health literacy curriculum that could be incorporated into ESL programs in the Boston area.  

Ami Zota, Harvard School of Public Health
MassCOSH: Ami developed and co-facilitated a youth organizing and peer leadership program for teenagers of color on workplace health and safety. 

2001-2002

Abe Abdulwaheed, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Chinatown Outreach Program: Abe provided dental health information and screening services to children and elders in Chinatown.

Soukaina Adolphe, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Haitian Health Institute: Soukaina created an understanding among the Haitian community and health providers of the needs of families with special needs children.

Amy Anderson Boutwell, Harvard University JFK School of Government
HIV Clinic, Boston Medical Center: Amy assisted patients with HIV/AIDS with their treatment and self-care plans.

Elsa Ascenso, Northeastern University / Speech & Language Pathology
Massachusetts Migrant Education Program: Elsa conducted workshops on literacy and health issues and provided referrals for families who did not qualify for  migrant services offered by the agency.

Aaron Askanase, New England School of Acupuncture
Dimock Community Health Center: Aaron provided free acupuncture treatment to low-income people with MS and publicized information about acupuncture to the MS community.

Nahid Bhadelia, Tufts University School of Medicine
Sharewood Project: Nahid expanded the free clinic services to include community resources and networking among area non-profits.

Heather Binder, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Latino Health Coalition, Worcester: Heather improved access and services in mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Oni Blackstock and Ann Chang, Harvard Medical School
Prevention Now!: Oni and Ann lead Girl Power, an after-school science, health, and environmental program for preadolescent Black and Latina girls at the Hennigan School.

Julie Chen, Harvard Medical School
Hepatitis B Initiative: Julie developed and implemented patient outreach programs for Hepatitis B screenings and vaccinations.

Luqman Dad, Boston University School of Medicine
Shattuck Hospital: Luqman worked with court-involved adolescents.

Honora Englander, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Epworth Free Clinic/Family Health Center: Honora improved links between the two clinics to improved care for uninsured patients who attended the free clinic.

Gemina Gianino, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Salvation Army Summer Camp, Sharon: Gemina improved a science/nature curriculum for the campers from low income communities.

Janice Goodman, Boston College School of Nursing
Lutheran Social Services: Janice identified psychosocial needs and documented personal narratives of unaccompanied refugee teens from Sudan; facilitated a psychoeducational support group for female refugee teens from Sudan.

Tarayn Grizzard, Harvard Medical School
Whittier Street Health Center: Tarayn created a student-run health education program for pregnant and parenting adolescents.

Brian Grossman, Harvard School of Public Health
Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project: Brian documented community need, updated and expanded community resource guide, and assessed feasibility of expansion of services to other New England states.

Azul Jaffer, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Youth Guidance Center: Azul introduced young adults to photography as a way to build self-esteem, gain a skill, and provide an alternative to unhealthy behaviors through mentoring.

Christina Kim, Tufts University School of Medicine/Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy
Science Elementary Education Partners (SEEP): Christina oversaw a program matching Tufts University students with science teachers in Somerville elementary schools to improve science teaching.

Emily Ko, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester Healthy Start Initiative: Emily taught physical fitness and activity in the perinatal health care intervention for pregnant women.

Alisa Land, Harvard Medical School
MGH Chelsea Health Clinic: Alisa developed a student psychosocial and health outreach and advocacy program for newly arrived refugee children and their families, matching student volunteers with families.

Nicole Lewis, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Physician Assistant Studies
Project Life / Mission Main Boston: Nicole established a mentoring program between MA College of Pharmacy physician assistant students and children enrolled in Project Life and Mission Main Boston.

Lauren McTeague, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Jackson Mann Elementary School: Lauren created a health education curriculum for elementary school children.

Daphne Mitchell, University of Massachusetts/Boston / Clinical Psychology
Martha Eliot Health Center: Daphne developed, implemented, and evaluated an asthma program for families to improve psychosocial functioning in children.

Elizabeth Molina, Tufts University School of Medicine MD/MPH
Latino Health Institute: Elizabeth implemented a health education / cultural sensitivity curriculum.

AJ Ortega, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Boys and Girls Clubs in Boston: AJ provided oral health education to youth and manufactured custom-made mouthguards for the children.

Jennifer Rabke-Verani, Harvard Medical School / Harvard School of Public Health
East Cambridge Health Center: Jennifer increased immunization coverage for children in East Cambridge.

Joel Sawady, Harvard Medical School
Haitian Health Institute: Joel developed a mentoring program and annual conference for Haitian high school students interested in health careers.

Skye Schulte, Tufts University School of Medicine/ Public Health/Nutrition Science and Policy
Somerville Family Network: Skye offered infant and toddler nutrition workshops to families newly arrived in the U.S. and taught healthy eating practices to children.

Robyn Smith, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Peace at Home Adolescent Health Center, Boston Medical Center: Robyn improved ways health providers identified and assisted teens exposed to violence.

Melin Tan, Boston University School of Medicine
Women's Health Demonstration Project: Melin served as a caseworker and advocate for women patients and held focus groups to identify unmet needs.

Sarvenaz Zand, Harvard Medical School
PROMESA, Brigham and Women's Hospital: Sarvanaz improved communication between Honduran patients and clinicians who treat them.

2000-2001

Jennifer Alt, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
The Clothesline Project: Raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of domestic abuse through workshops on domestic abuse and displays of t-shirts  decorated by women survivors.  

David Beakey, Tufts-Emerson Master’s Program in Health Communications
Quincy Medical Center: Increase the attendance of seniors at mental health programs by eliminating communication and program barriers.  Develop a video on the Psychiatric Day Program at Quincy Medical Center involving elderly patients who use the facilities.

Nazleen Bharmal, Harvard Medical School
Brookside Community Health Center & Peace At Home:  Work with pre-adolescents to develop a multi-disciplinary approach to discussing healthy relationships that can be shared with community agencies to prevent violence in teen dating. 

Sarah Brezinsky, Tufts University Boston School of Occupational Therapy
Salvation Army Summer Camp: Develop a curriculum on nature, respect for others, and respect for animals. 

Lisa Delgrosso, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Women’s Lunch Place: Conduct health education workshops on HIV, menopause, and sexual assault.

Ellie Feinglass, Harvard School of Public Health
Brookside Community Health Center: Review patient information materials and suggest ways to improve them for low-literacy patients. Present workshops for the staff on health literacy in order to improve communications with clients.

Seth Goodwin, New England School of Acupuncture
NESA Clinic:  Help arrange and provide free acupuncture treatments to individuals with phantom limb pain.

Jamal Harris, Harvard Medical School
Soldiers of Health: Design and implement a leadership program and community newsletter with young adults in Roxbury. 

Renee Hsia, Harvard Medical School
HepB Initiative: Coordinate a Hepatitis B education and immunization campaign directed to the Asian community in Boston. 

Carey Johnson, Harvard School of Public Health
GLBT Health Access Project: Develop a health services network for Boston-area gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender populations by creating a database of agencies and establish a coordinating committee.

Meghan Johnson (Kalinich), Boston College Lynch School of Education
Thomas Gardner Extended Services School:  Assist with the implementation of health and dental services for Gardner students and help the students and their families enroll in the dental and health clinics that will be provided by the school.

Michelle Kemper, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
The Windsor House: Teach fall and fire prevention techniques to the elderly.

Enna Lee, New England College of Optometry
Prevent Blindness: Create a post-screening protocol to encourage children to obtain vision care.

Susan Martin, Tufts University School of Medicine
Crossroads Family Shelter: Provide education on public health issues at the shelter. Conduct classes on personal hygiene, disease, food safety, nutrition, violence prevention, parents, self-esteem, and prenatal care.

Angela Martz, Northeastern University Physician’s Assistant Program
Uphams’ Corner Health Center: Assist the Women’s Health Department with clinics and health education, focusing on high-risk pregnant teens and diabetic elders.

Karran Phillips, Boston University School of Medicine
Cathedral High School: Develop a mentoring program for underserved youth. 

Mai Pho, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Family Health Center Clinic:  Design a research study and focus groups to assess the knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS among Vietnamese American youth.

Julie Rackliffe-Lucey, Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Brookline Department of Public Health: Organize food test kitchens for low-income elderly in Brookline senior housing and pubish a cook book of healthful recipes based on local contributions.

Adam Saltzman, Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston Elementary Schools:  Establish partnerships between Tufts University undergraduates and Somerville public school teachers by recruiting undergraduate science majors to teach science in an exciting, engaging way to youth. 

Daniel Smith, Harvard Medical School
Barbara McInnis House: Conduct creative writing workshops and teach basic computer skills to homeless residents and create a website for the McInnis House.
 
Eileen Stuart-Shor, Univ. of Massachusetts College of Nursing & Health Sciences
RoxComp:  Work with the Roxbury Church of Christ and Roxbury Heart Center to implement a cardiovascular health awareness program. Also teach fourth grade children weekly poetry writing, meditation, and facilitate social interactions to improve self-esteem and mind-body connection.

Vimy Varghese, Boston University School of Law
Global Lawyers and Physicians/Health Care for All:  Provide legal assistance to indigent clients who were denied access to health care, conduct legal research on health care policy and impact litigation for Health Law Advocates, and assist the Global Lawyers and Physicians organization with research on international human rights issues.

Sierra Washington, Harvard Medical School
Hennigan Elementary Mad Scientist Club: Organize an after-school program for preadolescent girls in conjunction with the “Prevention Now” program at the Hennigan School. 

1999-2000

Ashley Ackerman, Boston University School of Medicine
Boston Univ. Sch. of Medicine Outreach Van Project: Develop a health education program through the Van and Boston Health Care for the Homeless for the workers at Suffolk Downs Racetrack

Arshiya Baig, Tufts University School of Medicine
Centro Presente: Complete a needs assessment of occupational hazards in the Boston Latino community and design a curriculum to teach Latinos about their occupational health rights

Jessica Diamond, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
P.A.W.S. Project: Organize veterinary students and technicians to help people with Medicine immunodeficiencies care for their pets in the Worcester area

Kurt Fink,  Harvard Medical School
Coalition for Coverage: Develop materials for Latino community health centers and action programs on health care resources and assist with health care enrollment in Massachusetts

Ann Marie Francisco, Boston University School of Medicine
Project Health: Assist inner city youth in Boston through teaching photography and illustrating theirHarvard Sch. of Public Health written essays on their environment and health

Julie Freedman, Harvard Medical School
Children's Hospital Young Parents Program: Implement developmental assessments of one- and three-year-olds in the program

Jennie Greene, Harvard School of Public Health
MissionSAFE: Help run a video workshop including health topics in an afterschool program with junior and senior high school students

Karen Ho, Harvard Medical School
Hepatitis B Education and Prevention Boston Initiative: Help with community awareness and outreach about Hepatitis B

Clemens Hong, Tufts University School of Medicine
South Cove Community Health Center: Establish a clinic at the center to follow-up on TB treatment

Rahul Kakkar, Tufts University School of Medicine
Expand a Tufts Univ. children's theatre troupe program and perform plays on healthy living at shelters and schools in the Boston area

Jim Kim, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Children's Hospital: Develop educational materials on preventing caries in children with HIV

Wilson Liao, Harvard Medical School
Barbara McInnis House: Provide live music therapy, entertainment, and computer classes to homeless people still recovering after hospital stays

Brianne Luu, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Provide oral health information to people with disabilities

Rishi Manchanda, Tufts University School of Medicine
Soldiers of Health: Develop a health education and community advocacy project

Jillian Martin, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Rosie's Place: Develop nutritional education programs

Rey Ramos, Harvard Medical School
South End Community Health Center: Establish an urban youth literacy program

Jean Raphael, Harvard Medical School
Riverside Health Center: Work with the Men's Evening Clinic on adolescent stress and mental health issues

Eleni Spartos, Harvard School of Public Health
Sierra Club Inner City Outings: Expose Boston area children to the outdoors and work with them on outdoor skills, self-esteem, environmental awareness, and relationships with mentors and adults

Sandhya Srinivasan, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Mobile Caries Prevention Program: Provide sealants to children in Roxbury, arrange treatment for these children at Harvard Dental School, and teach them about good oral health and hygiene

Sara Stulac, Tufts University School of Medicine
Work with children in underserved areas of Boston on a health-related project

John Su, Boston University School of Medicine
Hepatitis B Education and Prevention Boston Initiative: Build a strong community collaboration to continue the HEP B Initiative

1998-1999 

Belinda Abbott, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
Gap Junction: Belinda identified primary and middle school students in accessible after-school programs who would benefit from an interactive science based educational program.

Sarah Adler, Tufts University School of Medicine
The Claddagh Campaign: Sarah provided moral support and guidance to female court-involved teens in South Boston. She also assisted South Boston residents as an after school homework helper and provided general office support the campaign.

Jennifer Boyd, Harvard School of Public Health
The Horizons Initiative:  Jennifer conducted assessment of educational needs of school-aged children living in family shelters in Boston.  She presented information on children’s developmental needs at their Volunteer Trainings and also assisted at the Elizabeth Stone House.

Stephen Buttenwieser, Harvard Medical School
Coalition for Coverage: Stephen wrote a draft of a comprehensive guide to all health insurance resources in Massachusetts for community and social service agencies and individuals.  Stephen also assisted individuals and families, particularly in Latino populations, to enroll in health insurance programs.

Christine Chung, Harvard Medical School
Soldiers of Health:  Christine promoted health and fitness among adolescent girls in Roxbury through a jump rope club and workshop.  Her goal was to increase self-worth and respect among these girls through health and fitness.

Tayla Colton, Harvard School of Public Health
Rosie’s Place and Girl Power: Tayla provided reliable support to women living in permanent residence as well as homeless women living with HIV/AIDS.  Tayla visited the home weekly to cook meals, organize special outings, and work as relief staff.  She also organized a Friday afternoon after school program for fifteen teenage girls.

Jeffery Cox, Salem State College Social Work
Neighborhood Faith Collaborative:  Jeffery met with academic, religious, and medical experts to discuss faith and health issues among minority religious communities.  He also volunteered with Roxbury Tenants of Harvard where he organized social events for seniors. In addition, Jeffery served as a night and weekend chaplain for New England Baptist Hospital.

Grace Hsiao, Harvard Dental School
South Cove Community Health Center & Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Grace worked to improve infant, and teen oral health care education.  She also established community service for dental students at Harvard Dental School.

Catherine Kim, New England College of Ophthalmology
Family Van Vision Screenings:  Catherine worked to provide eye care to the underserved in Boston.  She set up and implemented vision screenings on the Family Van at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

P. Nelson Le, Boston University School of Medicine
Boston GLASS: Nelson assisted gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning teens at risk to view healthcare more positively.  He provided teens with health lecture series, an open forum for teens on sex, and was present at Boston GLASS on a weekly basis.

Janet Lee, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Mobile Caries Prevention Program:  Janet organized dental exams and sealant treatment for elementary children in Boston schools through a mobile dental clinic organized with Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.

Mark Lepore, Boston University School of Medicine
Outreach Van & Suffolk Downs Race Track: Mark participated on the BUMC Outreach Van to provide food, clothing, blankets, and information on health services to the homeless.  He also provided ESL classes and health information to workers at the Suffolk Downs racetrack.

Ella Oong, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless:  Ella assisted Healthcare for the Homeless with a survey of dental needs of victims of domestic violence.  She developed a referral program through Women’s Dental Society of Massachusetts.

Jessica Stevens Pollard, Tufts University School of Medicine
Centro Presente:  Jessica collected oral histories from Central American workers in the Boston area and documented their exposures to occupational health hazards.  She planned a meeting of local organizations on occupational health and safety.

Chrasandra Reeves, Suffolk University & Simmons College
Temporary Home for Women and Children: Chrasandra assisted women at the Home to find permanent housing.  She obtained an initial assessment of clients and guided them in the processes of finding a home.  She also provided day care for the children and referred ill children to physicians.

Franchot Slot, Boston University School of Medicine
New England Shelter for the Homeless Veterens: Franchot oriented the clients to the dental services, provided histories and physical exams, and developed patient charts and tracking forms for medical care.  He also made appointments for the clients and constructed a database of information for each dental visit.

Eleni Spartos, Harvard School of Public Health
Sierra Club Inner City Outings:  Eleni exposed Boston area children to the outdoors and worked with them on their outdoor skills, self-esteem, environmental awareness and relationships with mentors and adults.

Helen Stubbs, Harvard School of Public Health
Teens Against Gang Violence:  Helen planned and coordinated a summer program for inner city youth in Dorchester.  She taught youth skills and knowledge on areas of violence, substance abuse prevention, safe sex, peer leadership, and personal presentation.

1997-1998

Mary Afsari, Tufts University School of Medicine
Codman Square Health Center: Mary created a breast health program through the health center for teenage women from Dorchester High School.  The program educated young women on breast disease and risk reduction.  Mary also worked to train them to become health advocates in their own community.

Sarita Aggarwal Mohanty, Boston University School of Medicine
Uphams Corner Health Center: Sarita developed a domestic violence protocol for the health center.
Proochista Ariana, Harvard School of Public Health
North American Indian Center of Boston: Proochista conducted a needs assessment of the health status and health needs of urban Native Americans for the center.

Ezra Barzilay, Tufts University School of Medicine
Baystate Medical Center: Educated the medical community about the needs of deaf patients and aided the deaf community in navigating through the resources available.

Ari Berman, Boston University School of Medicine
Codman Square Health Center: Ari created a curriculum and formal personal training session with “Dads Make a Difference” program in order to educate boys on prevention of pregnancy.  He also worked to initiate a program on General Health in the lives on children.

Kate Berrien, Harvard School of Public Health
Prevention Now: Kate implemented Girl Power, which is an after-school program for pre-teens.  She also assisted the volunteer office of Children’s Hospital and implemented a Health Adventures program for children to visit health facilities.

Sharon Brown Kunin, Harvard School of Public Health
Arts and Prevention Program: Sharon taught dance and art classes to youth at the Louis D. Brown Social Development Center.  She also organized a radio call-in program for youth on violence prevention.

Sachiko Sato Castleman, Simmons Graduate School of Health Sciences
Elderlink: Sachiko visited clients in their homes to teach strength, flexibility, and balance exercises.  Sachiko also taught home safety and fall prevention for home health aides. 

TinhVan Diep, Harvard School of Public Health
South Cove Community Health Center: TinhVan assisted the health center to assess knowledge of managed care processes and needs of clients and staff.  TinhVan also provided interpreter services for the adult medicine department and helped the support staff with English instructions.

Jonathan Hertz, Tufts University School of Medicine
Jonathan created a mental health assessment of homebound elderly.

Leslie Hsu, Harvard School of Public Health
Hepatitis B Education and Prevention- Boston Initiative: Leslie organized publicity campaigns on Hepatitis B among the Chinatown community.  She mobilized health students to participate in screening and immunizations.  Leslie also conducted a survey to assess middle school students’ awareness of the virus.

Matthew Lally, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Brantwood Camp:  Matthew served as a ropes course instructor at the camp and also taught anger management, health education and conflict resolution to boys.

Lorie Ann Lepley Parks, New England College of Optometry
Lorie Ann mobilized a team of students and instructors who conducted free eye examinations for residents of homeless shelters.  The team also provided free eye glasses for the patients who were in need of them.

Nancy Lord Lewin, Boston University School of Public Health
Latino Health Institute:  Nancy helped implement community health education program on HIV/AIDS prevention.  She also worked to reduce the risk and increase knowledge of HIV infection among Latinos in Boston communities.

Shan Woo Liu, Harvard Medical School
Educated Family Van providers regarding common medical drugs used by their patients. Determined patient compliance in relation to appointment follow up.

Victor Presto, University of Massachusetts School of Nursing and Health Sciences
The Autism Partnership: Victor implemented and assisted with a training program for families and pediatricians on caring for children who suffer from autism.

Karen Wang, Boston University School of Medicine
New England Home for Little Wanderers:  Karen taught health education groups at the Therapeutic After School Program every two weeks.

Lisa Doherty Watt, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Epilepsy Foundation of America: Lisa conducted plans on epilepsy for children and families across Massachusetts to raise awareness of the disease.

1996-1997

Charlene Brown, Harvard Mecial School
Rosie’s Place: Charlene provided literacy instruction to guests and helped serve meals at Rosie’s.  She also attempted to plan and implement language stimulation groups for children.

Katherine Cook, Tufts University School of Medicine
Hospice Care, Inc: Katherine taught massage techniques to family, friends, and caregivers of the terminally ill and created an instructional video for distribution to area hospices.

Martha Fairbanks Perry, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Sharing Together and Reading Together (SHARE):  Martha developed SHARE, a reading program for children in waiting rooms.  She distributed children’s books to parents, and started a “Prescriptions for Reading” that physicians can hand out to patients.

Michelle Freshman, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Somerville Parent Information Center: Michelle assisted with immunizations for children at the center. She also taught a class on health education at the Somerville Head Start program.

Abram Herrera-Peters, Boston College School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Critteriton Hastings House: Abram acted as a case mentor for young Spanish-speaking coupes with children.  He also conducted parenting classes for mothers at the house.

Jennifer Kaylor, University of Massachusetts/Boston College School of Nursing
Pine Street Inn:  Jennifer visited homes of formerly homeless men who had stayed at the Inn and assisted them with their transition into living independently.

Alyce Kuklinski, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Coolidge House:  Alyce organized discussion groups among the residents on stress management, parenting, and violence prevention.

Rebecca Reynolds Weil, Tufts University Boston School of Occupational Therapy
Lindemann Mental Health Venter and Cambridge Hospital:  Rebecca created a garden with the help of residents at an in-patient psychiatric unit at the health center.  She also brought animals to visit with children at the child assessment unit at the Cambridge Hospital.

Jessica Richard, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Freedom House:  Jessica continued a weekly exercise program for seniors started by fellow Louisa Bray.  She provided these individuals with knowledge and skill to incorporate regular exercise into their lifestyle.

Eve Rittenberg, Harvard Medical School
Brookside Community Health Center: Eve designed a patient history form for adolescents and designed a flow sheet for adolescent patients that allows clinics to track health services utilization over time. 

John Paul SanGiovanni, Harvard School of Public Health
John Paul attempted to work on publicizing the dangers of in-home pesticides but the project never materialized.

Jonathan Sorci, Harvard School of Public Health
COMPASS School:  Jonathan designed a music program at the school as an alternative to drugs, violence, and alcohol abuse.  He provided opportunities for students to record music at a professional recording studio though the Jam Plan.

Jared Strote, Harvard Medical School
Shortstop: Jared taught simple health education classes to high-risk youth and participated in informal recreation at the site.  All of the youth Jared worked with had been removed from their families and were currently living at Shortstop.

Ana Christina Terra DeSouza, Harvard School of Public Health
MA Alliance for Portuguese Speakers:  Ana worked with the Portuguese community on health issues for teens that included STDs, and pregnancy prevention.  She facilitated community group meetings on domestic violence and helped complete Peace at Home curriculum.

Bill Yuen Tu, Boston University School of Medicine
Place of Promise: Bill Yuen worked at a hospice that aimed at holistic care by addressing spiritual and social needs in addition to physical health.

Barry Waite, Tufts-Emerson Master’s Program in Health Communications
Greater Boston One to One:  Barry conducted a survey of important health concerts of participants in the mentoring program for youth at risk.  He also designed a resource book of information and services that address these health issues.

Dana Weintraub, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Creating Our Future: Dana developed an after school tutorial and photography program for homeless and formerly homes youth ages seven to eleven.  She also designed companion programs for the mothers or caregivers and child care for younger siblings.

Stephanie Wong, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
Gap Junction:  Stephanie created a science-learning program for underserved middle school students using laboratory activities.  She organized the program so that veterinary students could receive academic credit for their participation.

1995-1996

Eric Basch, Harvard Medical School
Boston Health Care for the Homeless: Eric established a program for medical students to work in homeless shelter-based clinics. He educated the Harvard community about the issues of homelessness and health care.

Jill Bassett, Harvard School of Public Health
Teen Health Center: Jill attempted to set up a referral system to community agencies that provide social services not available at the Teen Health Center.

Manish Bhandari, Harvard Medical School
New England Home for Little Wanderers: Manish ran a computer and software donation program to be used in the NEHLW school. Manish also communicated to the teaching staff the utility and versatility of computers as tools in education and entertainment.

Isolde Birdthistle, Harvard School of Public Health
Boston Children’s Hospital: Isolde studied and designed an educational intervention tool to advise adolescent girls with pelvic inflammatory disease on the risks of STDs and HIV.

G.J. Bradish, Boston College Lynch School of Education
Thompson Island Outward Bound & JRI: G.J. designed the experimental Outward Bound program to support area gay and lesbian youth to build self-esteem.

Arturo Cervantes, Harvard School of Public Health
Tobin Community Center: Arturo designed and carried out a gardening project with children ages six to twelve in the after-school program. He also taught teens in the Back to School program about anatomy, mental health, physiology, and public health.

Louisa Bray Creamer, Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Freedom House: Louisa taught an exercise program to elderly women in order to keep them active and healthy. She also designed the program specifically for their physical limitations and offered support and advice with their conditions.

Charles Eastin, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
Charles removed animals form shelters and placed companion pets in the homes of elderly and others interested in Eldercare services.

Shalini Gupta, Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth Stone House: Shalini taught yoga classes at the shelter for battered women and was available to the women for advice and guidance.

Dorothy Hitchmoth, New England College of Optometry
Vision Reach: Dorothy developed a referral and voucher system for eye care at the NECO for women and children at battered women’s shelters.

Chi-Cheng Huang, Harvard Medical School
Brookside Community Health Center: Chi-Cheng assisted clinicians in preparing an English/Spanish WellChild program information packet on infant health care from birth to 2 years.

Leonard Jewel, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
B-VETS: Leonard created a veterinary/animal exploratory group for inner-city middle-school children at Gang Peace, Inc. in Roxbury. He had planned discussions, tutorials, and educational field trips, including visits to Tufts New England Veterinary Medical Center, the New England Aquarium, the New England Science Center, Franklin Park Zoo, Southwick’s

Diane Krause, Boston University School of Medicine/School of Public Health
Boston Health Care for the Homeless: Diane evaluated the use of the in-take clinic at the Homeless Clinic as a vehicle to integrate homeless patients into the health care system. She also informed medical students of the health resources available for homeless patients.

Tricia Lawlor Jorden, Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston Neighborhood Network “Answer Channel”: Tricia produced and hosted ten cable television shows featuring health-related community service organizations. She also created call-in segments for viewers interested in the issues and who were willing to volunteer.

Richard Scepura, University of Massachusetts College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Boston Gay Lesbian Adolescent Social Services: Richard created a weekly motivational discussion group for young gay, lesbian, and transgender adults at the drop-in center. His discussion also focused on health and social issues that were of interest to the adults.

Kenneth Weil, Harvard School of Public Health
Gang Peace, Inc.: Kenneth helped the organization expand its mentor recruitment and organize events. He also evaluated mentoring experiences and assisted in fundraising.

1994-1995  

Eleanor Bonsaint, Boston University School of Public Health
Health Jams:  Eleanor developed an educational outreach program held during Pediatric/Adolescent Awareness Week.  The program focused on HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, family violence, and substance abuse.

Tischa Brown, Wheelock College Graduate School of Education
Project 21:  Tischa participated in the after school program, Project 21, which counseled children and families with special needs and helped get CORE evaluations and placements.

Tamara Cadet, Boston University School of Social Work
Child Care Resource Center, Inc.:  Tamara researched information for the child care resource and referral agency to providing health information to family daycare providers.  She developed fact sheets and other tips including immunization information for children.

Beth Coleman, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Peace at Home:  Beth helped complete a curriculum on domestic violence and presented it at workshops to adolescents.  She also facilitated and attended community group meetings on domestic violence.

Yvette Cozier, Boston University School of Public Health
Children’s Hospital Young Parents’ Program:  Yvette conducted a literature research, identified funding sources, and researched existing teen parenting curriculums for the program.  She also spent time at the Children’s Trust Fund in downtown Boston, devoted to prevention of child abuse and neglect by strengthening families.

Jacqueline Deeble, University of Massachusetts Medical School
WIC:  In coordination with the WIC nutritionist Jacqueline discussed and encouraged the importance of breast-feeding at prenatal classes and also implemented an awards ceremony for the mothers who had breast fed.

Jenny DeVoe, Harvard Medical School
Boston English High School/Brookside Community Health Center:  Jenny continued PHACE, which is a health and sex education course as well as creating GED brochures in English and Spanish for the teens at the high school and center.  She also developed a student health advisory center, literacy, and job training courses for the students.

Maria Diaz, New England College of Optometry
NECO:  Maria developed an optometric educational program for minority junior and senior high school students.  It consisted of an enrichment program to motivate the students to attend professional school through the use of lectures, labs, and conflicts.

Joseph Gammel, Tufts University School of Medicine
Tobin Elementary School:  Joseph presented information on child abuse to third and fourth graders using the STOP Abuse program model used in St. Louis.  He was able to recruit other fellow medical students to help with the presentations.

An-Fu Hsiao, Boston University School of Medicine
Grover Cleveland Middle School: An-Fu implemented a violence prevention curriculum for eighth graders that took place once a week for five months.

Anne Knights,  Simmons Graduate School of Health Sciences
Windsor Street Health Center:  Anne surveyed the needs of children with asthma at the center and educated them and their parents regarding management of the disease.  Her main goal was to reduce the patient’s reliance on emergency room care through the education she provided to them.

Richard Knowles, Northeastern University School of Nursing
Chilton House Hospice:  Richard worked with the terminally ill at an in-patient hospice.  He assisted in caring for the patients and also maintained the residence and garden at the house. Richard also worked to get merchants to donate supplies and spent his free time with the residents.

Maitreyi Mazumdar, Tufts University School of Medicine
South Cove Community Health Center:  Maitreyi conducted patient satisfaction surveys, collected data from medical charts, and helped improve data collection methods for quality assurance audits.  The project also consisted of the creation of a program to improve the follow-up rate on abnormal pap smears.

Wilfred Mbacham, Harvard School of Public Health
Mission Hill: Wilfred organized health fair and service delivery events at two community centers offering preschool immunizations, blood pressure,, and TB screenings for one hundred adults and twenty-five children.  He also coordinated community program development workshops for students interested in the HSPH Health Education and Leadership Program.

Jessica Brown McCarthy, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Rosie’s Place:  Jessica provided literacy instruction to guests at Rosie's Place. She assisted serving meals to the guests at Rosie's.  Her project also consisted of the design and implementation of a language stimulation group for the children at Rosie's Place.

Lisa Pratt, Tufts University School of Medicine
MCI Framingham:  Lisa assisted in the provision of primary health care to HIV positive incarcerated at MCI- Framingham. She designed and implemented a study of discharge planning needs for HIV positive women being released. Her project also included working in the Immunodeficiency Clinic and Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic at the prison and assisting with the education of these women.   

Sandra Ramos, Brandeis University Heller School for Social Policy & Management
Latino Health Institute:  Sandra conducted HIV/AIDS education and prevention to women substance abusers and others at risk.  She also assisted women of color to enroll in clinical trials and helped the women with basic social assistance, housing, and other needs through home and office visits.              
Susanna Reuter, Boston University School of Public Health
HIV Services:  Susanna assisted in the development of an evaluation of the trainers program and participated in weekly meetings of women in the Wellness Group which taught relaxation and pain-relieving techniques.

Sarah-Anne Schuman, Harvard Medical School
Immunization Project: Sarah-Anne contributed to outreach efforts on immunization by attending meetings and conferences for the Immunization Action Project.  She worked on volunteer recruitment, reviewed medical charts at community clinics, and helped develop an incentive program for parents to enter children into immunization registry.

Jennifer Shecter, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Ohrenberger Elementary School:  Jennifer recruited interns and taught the Pyramid of Prevention Services and Voices of Love and Freedom, which is a literacy based violence prevention curriculum for first and second grade classes.

Peter Sheridan, New England College of Optometry
Pine Street Inn:  Peter provided comprehensive eye care and free eyeglasses to the homeless with referrals to the New England Eye Institute.  He set up a network of volunteer optometrists to act as preceptors for students conducting the exams.

Michael Suk,  Boston University School of Public Health
Medical Passport:  Michael coordinated health services for foster children through the “medical passport”.

Cathy Tong, Tufts University School of Medicine
Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence:  Cathy designed a partner violence-training project through her research and development of a needs assessment survey on the topic. She worked in conjunction with the Asian Task Force, Advocacy Project, and South Cove Community Healthy Center, in order to educate the community battered women.

Mary Catherine Ward, Simmons College of Social Work
Boston Initiative for Teen Pregnancy Prevention:  Mary Catherine organized parent support meetings and held two workshops for mothers on taking care of yourself and menopause.  She also researched effective programs working on teen pregnancy. prevention.

Martha Wisler, Simmons College School of Social Work
Center House:  Martha developed a pilot smoking cessation program to assist the mentally ill in day treatment facilities.  She also conducted a literature review for the Department of Public Health to help implement programs for adults with cognitive, psychological, or physical disabilities.

Justine Zinkin, Harvard School of Public Health
Crittenton Hastings House:  Justine developed a questionnaire on community support networks for mothers in transitional and emergency housing.  She evaluated early intervention programs for the CHH and wrote sections of the early intervention manual. 

1993-1994

Alexa Arlos, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Cambridge Hospital:  Alexa created a breast cancer-screening project at the hospital. She worked with Haitian-Creole speaking patients on breast exams and mammography, however her plans to complete the project were unsuccessful.

Andrew Chan, Harvard Medical School
Dimock Community Health Center:  Andrew developed twelve culturally sensitive Spanish-English brochures on health issues such as diabetes prevention, second-hand smoke, and breast cancer detection.  He also spent time answering patient questions at intake in the clinic.

Rushika Fernandopulle, Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government
The Alliance for the Homeless:  Rushika visited shelter clinics and assisted clinicians at the shelters.  He created an orientation manual for the volunteers working with homeless shelters on soliciting donations, liability issues, and healthcare.

Linda Greenberg, Brandeis University Heller School for Social Policy & Management
Pediatrics Department, Boston City Hospital:  In conjunction with the hospital, Linda developed a survey instrument for parents regarding the immunization status of their children.  Her project included working with City Year volunteers to implement the survey and developed ideas to address access barriers at Boston City Hospital.

Mollie Kane, Tufts University School of Medicine
Fenway Community Health Center:  Mollie developed and administered a one-page survey at the Gay Pride parade on lesbians and sexually transmitted diseases. She presented her summary and findings at the Northwest Epidemiology Conference.

Michael Karcher, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Sharing for Prevention:  Michael participated in individual and group counseling with teens at the Curley Middle School.  He mediated communication between teachers and students and conducted a qualitative study of verbal communication among adolescents to assess degrees of intimacy and aggression.

Mary Lisbon, Boston University Schools of Social Work and Public Health
Upham’s Corner Health Center:  Mary created the Fathers-to-be group at the center which educated soon to be fathers on health, parenting skills, pregnancy, relationships, and sexuality issues.  She developed concept papers on forming a fathers-to-be support group but the group was unsuccessful due to lack of participation.

Laure Liverman, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Perrin House:  Laure provided perinatal education to homeless pregnant women in outpatient treatment services.  The intake consisted of gathering important health related data so that appropriate services through Boston Health Care for the Homeless could be provided

Erica Pan, Tufts University School of Medicine/School of Public Health
Dept. of Health and Hospitals for Boston:  Erica helped design, administer, and summarize evaluations of school-based health clinics and needs for the School Health Program.   Part of her project included shadowing physicians seeing patients at the Adolescent Center.

Timothy Pawlik, Tufts University School of Medicine
Barbara McInnis House:  Timothy provided personal outreach and health care education to the residents at the homeless shelter.  He created relationships with the guests and educated them on their illnesses. 

Vineeta Rastogi, Harvard School of Public Health
Boston Healthy Start Initiative: Vineeta worked to create a resource center to help reduce infant mortality rates in Roxbury. 

Margaret Reiff, Simmons College School of Social Work
Boston City Hospital, Finex House:  Margaret assisted with intake and play therapy with the children and parents at the Child Witness to Violence Project and the Family Development Center at the hospital.  She connected the Finex House with the hospital and helped set goals for their child advocacy support program.

Nancy Smalzel, Wheelock College
Barbara McGinnes House:  Barbara developed an annotated bibliography of videos for substance abuse recovering.  She recruited people to attend in-house AA meetings and found speakers; in addition she provided weekend support to residents in recovery.

Mika Sovak, Boston University School of Medicine
Rosie’s Place and Boston City Hospital:  Mika assisted Rosie’s Place with intake, food preparation, house chores, and interacting with the guests.  She conducted a small prevalence study of women at Boston City Emergency Room on the level of violence in their lives.

Sara Szal, Harvard Medical School
Children’s Hospital:  Sara developed a four-page protocol on assessing and documenting violence against women and recourse guide to other services.  She provided advocacy for women and children in abusive situations through the AWAKE Program at the hospital.  Her project also included the creation of a resource guide for Boston women’s shelters and a literature review on abuse for the director of AWAKE.

Kenneth Vail, Boston University School of Public Health
IV League Needle Exchange Program:  Kenneth interviewed policy experts, providers, and public health officials on issues affecting drug injectors in Boston.  He formed a health care collation between health professions, policy experts, treatment providers, and drug injectors in order to come together to create effective solutions.

Christoph Westphal, Harvard Medical School
Volunteered with a Haitian physician to learn about local health care for Haitians with HIV; visited with AIDS patients at Boston area hospitals; wrote a report on the HIV epidemic among Haitians.

1992-1993

Kecia Brown, University of Massachusetts Medical School
AIDS Program, Dept. of Health and Hospitals: Kecia assisted in the development of educational materials and programs for Boston City Employees regarding HIV and AIDS.

Diane Chau, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Bridge Over Troubled Waters:  Diane aimed to improve dental services for Boston area homeless teens.

Diana Currie, Harvard Medical School
Prenatal Care for High Risk Urban Adolescents:  Diana provided adolescents counseling around the issues of contraception, prenatal care, parenting, safe sex, HIV prevention, STD’s education and prevention and other relevant topics.  She also educated Adolescent Life Options Program teen peer leaders to go out and educate other adolescents on such issues.

Cheryl Johnson, Boston University School of Medicine
Women, Inc.:  Cheryl provided counseling to the underserved and participated in community outreach programs.

Lynette Wroblewski Lissin, Harvard Medical School
Transition House:  Lynette served as a health advocate at a house for battered women and children.  She developed a health questionnaire sheet for women and children of the Transition House.

Joanne Lloyd, Boston University School of Social Work
Codman Square Health Center:  Joanne created a support group for teen girls that dealt with issues regarding sexuality, AIDS, self-esteem, and family relationships.  At the end of her fellowship, she developed a program guide on leading a support group for teens.

Ann Eldridge Malone, MGH Institute of Health Professions
Boston Health Care for the Homeless:  Ann provided nursing care and health education to homeless people with HIV, AIDS, and substance abuse problems.  Her project also included the research of what is needed to support high quality, multidisciplinary approach to providing quality care to this patient population.

Vanessa McClinchy, Cambridge College
The Sapling Project:  Vanessa developed a literacy program in conjunction with the Alliance for the Homeless and The Cambridge Public Library.

Deborah Moore, Boston College School of Nursing
Hospice at Mission Hill: Deborah researched barriers to access and ways to improve access to hospice care in communities of color.  Her project developed into an academic endeavor and she created a poster representative of the qualitative study of barriers to care within the multicultural community. 

Stefanie Sarantopoulos, Boston University School of Medicine
South Boston Community Health Center:  Stefanie taught fifth graders at TF Condon Elementary School about health promotion, disease prevention, and the human body.  She prepared an eight session, forty minute each, interactive curriculum for the students.

Howard Jack West, Harvard Medical School
HMS Urban Health Project:  Howard project included visiting terminally ill patients who were based at their homes.  He documented changes in attitudes during the times he spent with them and recorded the coping the differing coping strategies of each patient.