The University of Maryland School of Public Health (SPH), in partnership with Bowie State University, has been awarded a U.S. State Department grant to enhance study abroad opportunities for marginalized faculty and students, as well as Pell Grant recipients. This initiative is supported by the 2024 Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program.
The grant will facilitate new opportunities for underrepresented faculty and students to engage in global public health studies in Rwanda. Focus areas will include countering violent extremism, preventing emerging tropical infectious diseases, and addressing significant public health challenges. This project will establish a new global public health learning site in Rwanda and expand the universities’ public health initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership and grant honor the memory of Lt. Richard Collins III, a Bowie State student who was murdered on the UMD campus in 2017. His mother, Dawn Collins, expressed her gratitude for the ongoing efforts to preserve her son’s legacy of service and leadership.
The $35,000, 18-month grant is the first IDEAS grant awarded to the University of Maryland. The program supports projects that create, expand, and diversify study abroad programs in alignment with U.S. foreign policy goals.
Dr. Beth Douthirt Cohen, SPH DEI Activist-in-Residence, and SPH Assistant Dean Erin McClure spearheaded the project. The initiative aims to break down barriers for marginalized students and those from lower-income backgrounds, enabling them to engage in global health practices and global justice issues.
Dr. Matasha L. Harris, Associate Dean of the College of Professional Studies at Bowie State University, highlighted the opportunities this partnership will provide for faculty and students to collaborate and address global public health issues in Rwanda.
The courses developed through this project will be integrated into public health degree programs or general education requirements, providing new study abroad experiences for participating faculty and students.
Heidi Manley, chief of USA Study Abroad, emphasized the State Department’s commitment to increasing the number of U.S. students with international experiences to prepare them for future leadership roles in various fields.
Erin McClure noted that the grant helps address historic inequities and supports the growth of global relationships, contributing to the school’s mission of fostering connections and advancing public health globally.
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