Summer 2026 Zia & Priti Fund for Innovation and Impact Students

Community Medicine Elective is transforming medical education by shifting the center of excellence from hospitals to communities. Health professions students go through a three-month program that begins with a five-week rigorous curriculum jointly developed by Macalester College and Universiti Malaya, then work with humanitarian organizations conducting home visits, field clinics, and community health interventions. When they gain firsthand experience observing how social, economic, and political determinants of health shape outcomes, we see improved access, continuity, and quality of primary care for disadvantaged populations.

Responder Resilience is a collaborative project with Atlantic Pacific International Rescue, focused on mitigating burnout among humanitarian Search and Rescue (SAR) workers in the Mediterranean refugee crisis through the development of a responder-focused Psychological First Aid (PFA) training program. Despite the critical role SAR organizations play in saving lives at sea, many (especially grassroots NGOs) lack standardized psychological support systems, leaving responders vulnerable to burnout and high turnover. This project will translate the findings of my research on humanitarian aid workers’ lived experience of burnout and piloted in the UK and designed for broader dissemination across Mediterranean SAR NGOs.

Tumaini Langu “my hope” is a community driven initiative aimed at increasing mental health awareness and reducing stigma in Siaya county, Western Kenya. By partnering with Matibabu Foundation, a non profit hospital based in the area, we aim to empower high school students to become future changemakers by prioritizing mental and emotional wellbeing as the foundation for their personal growth and success.