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The awards will be presented at the 28th Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tribute for the UMMS and UMass Memorial community taking place at UMass Medical School on Wednesday, Jan. 20. |
Thirteen School of Medicine and Graduate School of Nursing students have been selected to receive support for community service programs that will enhance their health care education as they extend UMass Medical School’s impact and reach.
This year’s MLK Semester of Service Student Award recipients will use the $500 awards to increase the pipeline of men of color in medicine; integrate healing hand massage into cancer care; prepare young adult refugees for citizenship; and fill a sexual health education gap for rural youth.
The 2016 MLK Semester of Service Award winning projects are:
Young Men of Today: Medical Professionals of Tomorrow.
Students:Michael Buckner, SOM; Kayla Elliot, SOM; Jessica R. Long, SOM; and Marian Younge, SOM
Project description: Students will continue a longitudinal program that assists young men of color in the Worcester area in their pursuit to gain access to the field of medicine; provides exposure to the multiple facets and career opportunities in the U.S. health care system; demonstrates the importance of healthy living, eating, exercising, and mental health in working towards one's goals; and builds mentorship relationships between the young male high school students and current faculty, medical students, and residents at UMMS.
Community partners: North High School, Worcester Pipeline Collaborative, WooFood, Student National Medical Association
Integrative Medicine Oncology Initiative: Hand Massage for Patients and Caregivers.
Students: Molly Cain, SOM, James Doolin, SOM, and Jesse Moskowitz, SOM
Project description: The students will offer hand massage training to medical and nursing student volunteers at UMMS. They are also planning to improve their connection to the community by holding a “Teaching the Caregivers” session.
Community partner: UMass Memorial Medical Center Division of Palliative Medicine
Civics and Citizenship Course for Worcester Refugee Youth
Students: Mark Fusunyan, SOM; Conor Grogan, SOM; Courtney Temple, SOM; and Meme Tran, SOM
Project description: Students will develop a civics and citizenship course designed to equip and encourage youth leaders to continue deepening their civic engagement. Course objectives are to teach the basic concepts and historical context of the U.S. political system and prepare refugee youth participants for the U.S. citizenship test.
Community partner: Worcester Refugee Assistance Project, College of the Holy Cross
Adolescent Sexual Health in Barre, MA
Students: Rachel Meyer Bensen, GSN, and Christina Janssens, GSN
Project description: Students will lay the groundwork for evaluation, improvement and sustainability of sexual health education for adolescents in the Barre community through a comprehensive analysis of the “Girl Talk” program and assistance with a commu
