The Good Jobs Challenge was a COVID-19 relief-funded, community-driven, employer-led workforce development federal grant housed at the Economic Development Administration at the national level and administered by the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership at the regional level. When Health &...
Health & Medicine Policy Research Group and Black Midwifery Collective recently convened nearly 100 birth and reproductive health justice practitioners, advocates, and community leaders as part of an 18-month state strategic planning project to advance equitable perinatal outcomes across...
As a doctoral student in criminology, law, and justice at the University of Illinois Chicago, Jenna Pasanen entered her Schweitzer Fellowship year determined to better understand the challenges women face as they prepare to reenter society after incarceration. Partnering with the women’s program...
Each year, the Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program awards Seed Grants to Fellows for Life who are committed to beginning, expanding, or sustaining innovative community-based initiatives. These projects strengthen health equity, expand access to care, and deepen support for underserved...
The 2024–25 Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship Impact Report highlights how this year’s Fellows are advancing health equity and building lasting change across communities in our region. Through powerful stories, data, and reflections, the report showcases the critical service learning projects...
As a nurse with more than a decade of experience in acute care, Nicole Walkowiak has seen firsthand the devastating consequences of untreated wounds—from infections that spiral into sepsis to preventable limb loss. As a 2024–25 Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellow and nursing student at Rush University,...
This fall, Dr. Ronisha Edwards-Elliott, PhD, MSW, Director of the Chicago AHEC and Workforce Programs at Health & Medicine, reached a major milestone in her lifelong pursuit of equity and healing: she successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at Northern Illinois University. For Dr....
With summertime murders at a historic low, we can see the impact of investments in youth jobs, mental health, and violence prevention programs—not policing—on violent crime. In a new op-ed, Health & Medicine Policy Director Wesley Epplin shares his support for a community safety surcharge,...
Health & Medicine Policy Director Wesley Epplin recently delivered testimony to the Cook County Board of Commissioners during the FY2026 budget hearings. The testimony called for increased investment in public health and stronger protections for immigrant communities across Cook County. Read...
We’re looking for passionate individuals ready to launch their careers in health policy and join us in advancing health equity and dismantling structural inequities. As a Health & Medicine intern, you’ll contribute to meaningful projects, expand your professional network, and build a strong...
Each year, the exceptional Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows design and implement year-long service projects addressing urgent health needs in Chicago’s underserved communities. Working alongside local partners, Fellows tackle issues ranging from access to care and health education to social and...
Health & Medicine’s Executive Director, Margie Schaps, recently shared her perspective in the Chicago Sun-Times on the devastating impact of the newly passed “Big Beautiful Bill.” In her letter to the editor, Margie underscores how deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare will harm millions and why...