Health & Medicine Policy Research Group is proud to celebrate the 2024-25 graduates of the Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship! These incredible students spent the past year implementing service projects that addressed the social determinants of health in partnership with underserved communities across Chicago.

We recently gathered at DePaul University’s Cortelyou Commons to recognize the achievements of our outgoing Fellows and welcome the newest class into the Schweitzer community.

The evening was a true celebration of impact and inspiration. Guests heard moving reflections from this year’s Fellows, whose projects spanned nutrition education, oral health for children with special needs, trauma-informed care for immigrants and refugees, substance use support, reproductive justice, and more.

Congratulations to the 2024-25 Schweitzer Fellows!

Graduating Fellows came from 11 schools and 10 academic programs, representing disciplines including medicine, nursing, dentistry, public health, psychology, and more. Throughout their Fellowship year, they demonstrated commitment, creativity, and collaboration as they brought their projects to life and deepened their understanding of health equity.

These are just a few examples of the profound work undertaken by the 2024-25 cohort—and we’re so proud of all they’ve accomplished!

Following in their footsteps is an outstanding new group of Schweitzer Fellows. The 2025-26 cohort includes 26 early-career professionals representing 12 academic institutions and nine disciplines across Chicago. They met for orientation in late April at Esperanza Health Centers, where they began forming bonds with one another and learning how to ground their work in community-led, equity-centered principles.

Throughout the weekend, Fellows engaged with Health & Medicine’s Deputy Director Gita Krishnaswamy and Health & Medicine Board Vice President Dr. Suzanne Carlberg Racich, who guided them in exploring logic models and understanding community needs.

Each Fellow designs and implements a year-long project to improve health outcomes and health equity in Chicago communities. “The depth of thought and commitment this new class of Fellows brings is truly inspiring,” said Schweitzer Program Director Karol Dean.
Stay tuned in the months ahead as we share their stories.

Learn more about the 2025-26 Fellows here.