Three University of Houston (UH) students, two from the UH Law Center and one from the Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW), will lead health-related service initiatives for underserved individuals and communities during 2011-2012 under the Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows Program.
Joining approximately 250 Schweitzer Fellows at 13 program sites throughout the U.S., the newly selected Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows will partner with community-based organizations to develop and implement yearlong service projects that address the social determinants of health.
Aduago Glenda Duru
Aduago Glenda Duru, a first-year student at the UH GCSW, will design and implement a program aimed at empowering teenage girls to make healthy decisions through one-on-one mentoring and structured group activities at the Alief Family YMCA.
Andrea Penedo
Andrea Penedo and Ron Sung, second-year students at the UH Law Center, will unite local law students and practicing attorneys to teach underserved high school students about health law issues and provide them with the tools to better understand their legal health rights through the Houston Independent School District and Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program.
Ron Sung
"It's a great honor for three University of Houston students to receive the prestigious Albert Schweitzer Fellowship," said W. Andrew Achenbaum, a professor in the UH GCSW and a member of the Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows Program Advisory Board. "Albert Schweitzer was a humanitarian and physician who sought to heal and to give hope to those who were the most needy in the world - - children and their families in Africa. His was a life of service, tireless, generous and loving. As a member of this local board, I have been privileged to see extraordinarily talented men and women participate in The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, in addition to their graduate school responsibilities, so that others may have great opportunities."
Upon completion of their initial year, these Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows will become Schweitzer Fellows for Life and join a network of more than 2,000 Schweitzer alumni who are skilled in, and committed to, addressing the health needs of underserved people throughout their careers as professionals.
Since the Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows Program's founding in 2008, its Schweitzer Fellows have delivered more than 2,000 service hours of direct service to vulnerable community members. A full listing of the 2011-2012 Houston-Galveston Schweitzer Fellows is available at www.schweitzerfellowship.org/houston
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About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 38,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country. For more information, please visit http://www.uh.edu/
About the UH Graduate College of Social Work
The UH Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) is a nationally recognized program, ranked 36 by U.S. News & World Report, educating professionals for social work practice, research and leadership. Offering MSW and PhD degrees, the GCSW is the only social work program in the world to have a Nobel laureate on its faculty. The GCSW advocates for innovative, collaborative, inclusive and humane policies and solutions that promote social, economic and political justice. A commitment to critical thinking that links rigorous scientific inquiry, ethical social work practice and community engagement generates new knowledge to the field of social work and many other disciplines. For more information, please visit http://www.sw.uh.edu/main/home.php
About the University of Houston Law Center
The University of Houston Law Center is the leading law school in the nation's fifth-largest legal market. Founded in 1947, it is a top-tier institution awarding Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees. The Law Center is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the American Association of Law Schools. For more information, please visit http://www.law.uh.edu/