Amaka is developing a healthcare "accompaniment" program for refugees being welcomed to the Upper Valley. The program includes a sustainable process to recruit, orient, and mentor Geisel medical students who accompany and advocate for refugees as they access health care and services. She will also explore avenues for improved translation services. Community Partner: Community Care of Lyme
Kevin and Nia are partnering with the Dartmouth Cancer Center Food Pantry to better understand food insecurity needs specific to cancer patients and to facilitate improved health outcomes through no-cost, culturally competent, mobile food delivery services. Their project will center the education of physicians to spread awareness and access to these much-needed resources. Community Partner: Dartmouth Cancer Center Food Pantry
Liah is working with her community partner to create a coalition of people and organizations who seek to address the gaps in healthcare provision for people experiencing homelessness in the Upper Valley. Working alongside her community partner, she meets members of this community where they are—literally and metaphorically—through shared meals, education, and resource sharing. Community Partner: Upper Valley Haven
Liah D'sa headshot
Katie and Ila are developing a platform that anonymously and sensitively documents each survivor's experience of trauma recovery with SafeArt, a free healing arts program in Chelsea, Vermont. They aim to use this storytelling initiative as a resource to directly voice the needs of survivors in the program and to serve as a new method of personal reflection for each survivor. Community Partner: Safe Art
Ila Kaul and Katie Waeldner
Kristin's project aims to empower individuals to make informed personal decisions on marijuana use in the face of legalization. She will be working to provide evidence-based, accessible information on the health impacts of marijuana on the community, focusing on those transitioning out of the carceral system. Community Partner: Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center
Kristin Corbett headshot
Wais and Jackson aim to address the socio-economic gap in information access regarding healthcare careers and education. By continuing the work of the Spartans Advance Program, they will provide hands-on training in healthcare skills to assist students in pursuing their healthcare interests while working to build a long-term partnership between the Larner College of Medicine and Winooski Schools. Community Partner: Winooski Middle School
David (Wais) Makaj and Jackson Bressor
Julie and Molly's project seeks to identify and strengthen the network of clinics and providers that offer gender-affirming care throughout Vermont. In collaboration with community members, they will create guides to ease the process of seeking and receiving care, and support providers in recognizing and overcoming barriers to delivering high-quality healthcare. Community Partner: Pride Center of Vermont
Molly Greenblat and Julie Scholes
Krystal seeks to improve the sexual health outcomes of non-English-speaking migrant communities by creating free sexual health tools that they can receive through the mail. Krystal is also developing a training module for future healthcare providers and volunteers that addresses the social determinants of health among non-English-speaking migrant populations. Community Partner: Bridges to Health
Kim and Lauren are working with Vermont's Abenaki communities to improve Abenaki health and promote workforce development. They will hold clinics that focus on screening for chronic health problems and introduce health career opportunities to Abenaki youth as part of a larger effort to improve trust between the Abenaki tribe and the University of Vermont. Community Partners: The Nulhegan Band of the Cooksuk Abenaki Nation and the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi.
Shrey Patel and Thuymy-Michelle Nguyen
Shrey and Michelle aim to improve transgender health for young people by providing online care guides to healthcare professionals that encompass clinical interventions to legal and insurance-related components of delivering gender-diverse care. They will bolster the resources and programming that Outright VT currently has in place to empower youth seeking care in Vermont. Community Partner: Outright VT
Christina and Ashton seek to improve the climate resiliency of rural Vermont municipalities. They will conduct a case study and develop educational materials focusing on infrastructure policy reform through culvert reconstruction resulting in more flood-resilient structures and communities. Community Partner: White River Partnership
Miche's project aims to utilize restorative principles and practices, both top-down and bottom-up, to enhance support, safety, and a sense of belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. With a focus on LGBTQ+ leaders and community members, the project will offer education on the application of restorative values to build community, address harm, and offer paths for reintegration. Community Partner: Outright Vermont
Lukas and Sean, both veterans, aim to bring awareness to the reality veterans face with food insecurity. By providing in-depth research while building collaboration between community organizations, they will identify and advocate for the required changes to state-and federally-funded nutritional programs to combat the nutritional crisis many veterans experience. Community Partner: Vermont Veteran Outreach Program
Madison and Kristiana's project aims to better support survivors of domestic and sexual violence in rural Vermont. Through support groups and educational events at local schools, they will support current survivors and work to educate community members on domestic and sexual violence and how they can help support their community members experiencing these issues. Community Partner: Safeline