We are proud to share that, for the seventh year in a row, the recipient of the School of Public Health Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award is affiliated with the Department of Global Health (DGH). Congratulations to this year's awardee, the International Student Success Program and thank you for the valuable service you provide for our students and community.  

The International Student Success Program (ISSP), a group that provides community and support for international students in the University of Washington School of Public Health (UW SPH), is the 2025 recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr Community Service Award. 

Each year the University of Washington's (UW) Department of Global Health is able to provide partial to full funding to recruit top applicants. In addition to financial support, some recipients also receive mentorship and real-world experience through research assistant positions. For the 2024-25 academic year, 19 outstanding graduate students received funding to support their studies, 15 of whom are highlighted here. Learn more about this impressive cohort, including their journeys to arrive at the UW and the impact they hope to have on the field of global health.

DGH Excellence Award Teaching Assistantship 

Master of Public Health in Global Health 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I am a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, raised in the Khan Younis refugee camp. Growing up there, I developed a deep sense of community, resilience, and compassion. This upbringing shaped my commitment to serving others and creating meaningful connections.

In 2024 Department of Global Health (DGH) students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community partners collaborated with the goal of improving health for all. Through community-centered research, our faculty and students investigated the causes of HIV/STI prevention, examined the resilience of healthcare systems, and highlighted the importance of rural health equity. 2024 was also a year of recognition as we thanked Dr. Carey Farquhar for her two years of service as interim chair, and welcomed Heidi van Rooyen as department chair.