
Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program
The Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program fosters the leadership abilities of aspiring health professionals, who design and implement service projects that promote health equity.
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Overview

Founded in 1996, Health & Medicine’s Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program cultivates aspiring health and human services professionals to be informed, concerned, and involved with addressing health inequities. Each year, the Schweitzer Program provides 30 exceptional students with opportunities to design and implement projects to improve the health and well-being of underserved Chicago communities. Fellows’ projects often address the social determinants of health, and their activities frequently include tutoring, violence prevention, health education, healthy lifestyles promotion, and outreach to vulnerable and marginalized groups. Our “Fellows for Life” alumni program supports our graduates’ further development as leaders in service, and provides them with continuing networking, skill-building and community service opportunities.
- Since 1996, over 670 Chicago Schweitzer Fellows have completed more than 130,000 hours of community service at more than 150 community-based sites.
- In 2019-20, over 7,130 Chicago residents were served by our Fellows’ projects. A majority of residents were low-income.
- 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program. We are thrilled to continue a powerful legacy of social justice in action.
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