Alabama is home to the largest number of historically Black colleges and universities in the nation. Many HBCU graduates studying public health opt to stay in Alabama and pursue graduate degrees at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
To recognize this, Paul Erwin, M.D., DrPH, dean of the UAB School of Public Health, created the Dr. David Satcher Public Health Leadership Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes Alabama native, HBCU graduate and the first Black United States surgeon general, David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. The scholarship will provide $5,000 a year to one student who graduated from an Alabama HBCU and is attending UAB for graduate studies in public health.
“A priority of the School of Public Health is inclusivity and diversity among its students, and through this scholarship, it is our desire to keep HBCU talent right here in the state of Alabama,” Erwin said.
Public health encompasses many disciplines that focus on the ailments of a community rather than one specific ailment or person. Many Alabama HBCU students are from the state’s Black Belt, which has historically been underserved in terms of public health. The scholarship’s goal is to remove financial barriers to attending graduate school at UAB, allowing students to devote their full attention to their studies.
“It allows students to focus on what truly matters and on what is most important, which is their education,” Erwin said. “We hope they will then take their talents to areas of the state that need their expertise in public health the most.”
In addition to creating the scholarship, Erwin will personally match an additional $5,000 to the fund. Click here to support the Dr. David Satcher Public Health Leadership Endowed Scholarship.