Schweitzer Scholars Program
What is the Schweitzer Scholars Program?
The Schweitzer Scholars Program is an ASF program, similar to the general Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, for post-graduate medical residents or fellows who are interested in community based projects and service learning.
In addition to our Fellows who come from over 15 different institutions in the Houston-Galveston area, College Station, Prairie View, and the DFW area, the current ASF cohort of Schweitzer Scholars are pediatric residents from the Baylor College of Medicine’s Pediatric Residency Training Program.
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Schweitzer Scholar Projects
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The Mind-Gut Connection: Nutrition for Mental Wellness: Drs. Pendergrass and Donatti are addressing the power of nutrition and healthy relationships with food by establishing a student-led awareness campaign within a selected YES Prep School in the local Houston community. The project highlights the dangers of “diet culture,” importance of the mind-gut connection, the role that nutrition plays on one’s mental health. If interested in taking on this project, please contact Dr. Jasmine Pendergrass at jasmine.pendergrass@bcm.edu or Dr. Marisa Donatti at marisa.donatti@bcm.edu.
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​Empowering Incarcerated Youth to Take Ownership of Their Sexual Health: This project addresses sexual health literacy and sexual empowerment for adolescents and emerging adults currently incarcerated at the Harris County Juvenile Department of Corrections by creating a sexual education curriculum. If interested in taking on this project, please contact Dr. Kiely Fagundes at kiely.fagundes@bcm.edu.
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Dr. Heng works with the Afghan Women’s Empowerment Group established by Interfaith Ministries, to support caregivers in raising their children, mitigate the adverse outcomes of experienced trauma, and connect families to resources within the community. If interested in taking on this project, please conatct Dr. Yi Yan Heng at yiyan.heng@bcm.edu.
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Let's Talk About It: This project addresses adolescent health in Houston by implementing a longitudinal workshop series for teen girls who are currently unhoused through workshops focusing on topics vital to healthy adolescent development, such as sexual health, body image, and mental wellbeing. If interested in taking on this project, please contact Dr. Maya Mahendran at mxmahend@texaschildrens.org.
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Please visit our Current Projects page to learn more about these projects and connect with the Scholars currently doing them.
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Requirements for Schweitzer Scholars
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Serve a 100-hour mentored community service project that aims to address health inequities
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Attend orientation and monthly meetings
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Facilitate at least two all-team meetings with all mentors
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Submit monthly reports and a final report
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Participate in the Mid-year Symposium
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Attend the annual Evening of Difference where you will present a poster
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Stipend: Schweitzer Scholars receive a monetary stipend of $1000.
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If you have any questions or are interested in becoming a Schweitzer Scholar, please reach out to Fellowship Associate, Nichole Hoang, at nichole.hoang@asfhg.org.
2024-25 Scholar Projects
Marisa Donatti, MD, MPH and Jasmine Pendergrass, MD
Baylor College of Medicine - Texas Children's Hospital
The Mind-Gut Connection: Nutrition for Mental WellnessCommunity Site: YES Prep White Oak Secondary School
Site Mentor: Kawana Coulon; Academic Mentor: Dr. Suratha Elango​
Dr. Donatti and Dr. Pendergrass are addressing the power of nutrition and healthy relationships with food by establishing a student-led awareness campaign and participation program within a selected YES Prep School in the local Houston community. In addition to educating on disordered eating patterns promoted by social media and the dangers of “diet culture,” the intervention will highlight the importance of the mind-gut connection, the role that nutrition plays on one’s mental health, and will provide the opportunity to practice building healthy habits into daily routines. Ultimately, the program aims to foster a positive mindset around nutrition with an emphasis on an additive rather than restrictive approach. It also intends to empower adolescent students who participate to explore convenient, nutrient-dense, cost-effective meal prep options in order to meet daily micronutrient and macronutrient recommendations. If interested in continuing/expanding this project, please contact marisa.donatti@bcm.edu or jasmine.pendergrass@bcm.edu. ​
Kiely Fagundes
Baylor College of Medicine - Texas Children’s Hospital
Empowering Incarcerated Youth to Take Ownership of Their Sexual HealthCommunity
Site: Harris County Juvenile Probation Department
Site Mentor: Dr. Rebecca Beyda; Academic Mentor: Dr. Asha Davidson
Dr. Fagundes is addressing sexual health literacy and sexual empowerment for adolescents and emerging adults currently incarcerated at the Harris County Juvenile Department of Corrections by creating a sexual education curriculum. She will do this by providing a medically sound and evidence - based sexual health curriculum focused on the individual’s claiming their own power over their bodies. Ultimately, she aims to decrease rates of sexually transmitted infections, educate on safe sex practices, and create guides to resources in the community. If interested in continuing/expanding this project, please contact kiely.fagundes@bcm.edu.
Yi Yan Heng
Baylor College of Medicine - Pediatrics Residency Program
Project Name: TBD
Community Site: Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston
Site Mentor: Praveena Lakshmanan; Academic Mentor: Dr. Karla Fredericks
Dr. Heng is addressing inadequate access to healthcare and health literacy by providing lectures and discussions about healthcare within the field of pediatrics. By working with the Afghan Women’s Empowerment Group established by Interfaith Ministries, she hopes to provide caregivers with additional support on raising their children, mitigate the adverse outcomes of the trauma that they have experienced, and connect them to resources within the community. Since many of these families do not regularly access healthcare providers, Dr. Heng also hopes to provide the anticipatory guidance that is given during routine well-child visits. If interested in continuing/expanding this project, please contact yiyan.heng@bcm.edu.
Maya Mahendran
Baylor College of Medicine - Pediatrics Residency Program
*Let's Talk About It
Community Site: Reed New Hope Housing
Site Mentor: Sandra Martinez; Academic Mentor: Dr. Stefani Ricando
Dr. Mahendran is addressing adolescent health in Houston by implementing a longitudinal workshop series for teen girls currently experiencing homelessness. The workshops, held at a local housing center, will focus on topics vital to healthy adolescent development, such as sexual health, body image, and mental wellbeing. Participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences with the group as well as privately reflect using written or other mediums. Ultimately, the workshops will aim to foster a sense of confidence amongst the participants, and equip them with the tools necessary to move into young adulthood with confidence. If interested in continuing/expanding this project, please contact mxmahend@texaschildrens.org.
Click below to access a document with descriptions of the community sites!
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