APPLICATION GUIDELINES

The Pittsburgh Albert Schweitzer Fellows Program (PSFP) is a one-year interdisciplinary fellowship program focused on community service and leadership development. PSFP is one of twelve programs in the nation of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Affiliated with Southwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (AHEC), with offices located in the Highland Park area, the Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program provides service opportunities for professionals-in-training who seek to help the underserved in the Greater Pittsburgh area. GRADUATE STUDENTS IN ANY DISCIPLINE ARE WELCOME TO APPLY.

Graduate students are welcome to submit proposals for an original project that reflects Dr. Schweitzer’s ethic of Reverence for Life. Prior to applying (See Application Requirements below), interested students should investigate and reflect on the unmet health-related needs that exist in Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities, and on the ways in which their own energies and talents might contribute, even in small ways, to ameliorating one or more of these problems.  In proposing a project, then, keep in mind how your idea addresses those unmet health needs and might be of enduring value to the community. 

For guidance on national and local health priorities as established by Healthy People 2010, please visit: healthypeople.gov  For a listing of our Alums and their projects visit: schweitzerfellowship.org/features/us/pitt/pitt_fellows.aspx

Fellowship projects include the following:
• a minimum of 200 hours of direct service through an existing community-based organization in the Pittsburgh area, its surrounding communities or counties
• a supervisor, or Site Mentor, at the host organization and a Faculty Mentor at the student's school
• written monthly progress reports on the Fellow's project (one page)
• a written report at the conclusion of the project, including recommendations for ways in which the most valuable aspects of the Fellow’s project and experiences can be replicated or sustained

Please note: The Fellowship experience is not only about individual service, but is also an opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary group of students committed to work in underserved communities.  In addition to the service project, Fellows work in groups to organize public symposia and service projects. They are required to attend monthly meetings, all symposia and service days, a weekend orientation in May 2009, the annual Mid-Year Schweitzer Fellows Event in October 2009 and Graduation in April 2010.

Fellows receive a stipend of $2,000 (paid in three installments) both to underscore the seriousness of their work and to ensure that students who are already struggling financially are not discouraged from participating.

ELIGIBILITY
Any student enrolled for the 2009-2010 academic year (must be enrolled March 2009)  in a graduate-level-degree-granting program in the Greater Pittsburgh area is welcome to apply. Fellows will be selected from a diversity of fields in health or related fields including, but not limited to: medicine, nursing, public health, healthcare administration, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry, veterinary medicine, business, engineering. dance/music/art therapy, speech pathology, anthropology,  psychology, physicians assistant, pharmacy, social work, or law.

The Fellowship Year goes from April 2009 – April 2010.

SELECTION
Fellows will be selected on the basis of their completed application, their service commitment, and their ability to articulate ideas and goals related to their role in addressing unmet community needs. Additionally, we consider references, quality and feasibility of the proposed direct service project, and personal qualities.

DEADLINE
The deadline for applications for 2009-10 has passed.  Please check back in the fall of 2009 to apply.

Applications must include the following:

Cover Sheet
• Your name, permanent and current address, phone number and email 
• Your school, program, year in program, and anticipated date of graduation 
• A description of the time frame in which you plan to complete the project, including the possible start date/time of year (academic year, summer, or both) 
• A list of three references (only1 letter required), including telephone numbers ,e-mail and street addresses.  References might include faculty members of your school who could serve as a mentor during your year as a Fellow. Please indicate with an asterisk which of your references will serve as your academic mentor.

Brief Résumé (no longer than two pages)

Personal Statement of one page that discusses motivations for applying and the ways in which participation as a Schweitzer Fellow would be meaningful to your personal and professional development.

Project Description
The application should also include a description of a potential project you might implement (one page) as a Schweitzer Fellow, the target population and setting, and the anticipated benefits to the community you would serve.   

Submission
Applications should be submitted via email attachment to jhaley@southwestahec.org. Applications may also be hand-delivered or mailed, but must be received by 5 PM on the deadline.  Upon receipt of your application, we will send you a confirmation email.  As this is a highly competitive process, we are more than happy to help any applicant during every step of the application including but not limited to the preparation of materials before they are officially presented to us.
        
For more information, please contact:
Joan Haley, Program Director
Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program
c/o Southwest PA AHEC 
5614 Elgin Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
T: (412) 363-0185 ext. 26
F: (412) 363-5084 
E: jhaley@schweitzerfellowship.org