This year, the University of Washington Department of Global Health is participating in Husky Giving Day to raise support for the Endowed Fellowship for Global Health Excellence, Equity and Impact. The Fellowship aims to broaden diversity and excellence within the field of global health by supporting students who come from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the field and who might not otherwise be able to attend graduate school.
Each year, six students receive two different types of fellowships: either a $5k award and waiver of out-of-state-tuition (if applicable) or a Research Assistantship (RAship), which covers tuition, fees, health insurance, and a living stipend.
The value of an RAship extends beyond financial assistance. It also provides practical research experience and matches students with a faculty mentor. For example, past fellowship awardees have worked with global health professors Carey Farquhar, Donna Denno, and Pamela Collins on projects related to controlling the spread of sexually transmitted infections, understanding the cause of death in malnourished children, and researching child and adolescent mental health, respectively.
Students who receive these awards go on to impressive and impactful careers at highly regarded organizations around the world. We caught up with three such outstanding awardees to better understand the role the fellowship played in their academic and professional success: Shadae Paul, Sofia De Anda, and Mame Mareme Diakhate.
