General Fellowship and Practica

Mission 

Our mission is to develop collaborative partnerships and programs that support our Puerto Rican partners in addressing public health needs. Through its community engagement efforts, the PR Fellowship also seeks to foster University and student involvement in Inter-professional Education (IPE); Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR); and Service Learning (SL). 

Goals 

To date, our work has focused on providing health assessments related to pediatric asthma in the wake of Hurricanes Maria and Irma as well as developing health education materials focused on Covid-19 best practices. 

Our goals are to learn about and consider the historical and socioeconomic context of the public health crisis created by events such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico, develop partnerships for sustainability and reciprocity with our partners there, and promote equitable community engagement. This project aligns with the Mailman School’s commitment for community programming as we work towards prioritizing racial justice and equity issues. 

The CU graduate-level students who are selected to participate in the Fellowship will gain community-engagement knowledge and experience within an interprofessional team format. In addition to the semester-long Fellowship, Fellows have the opportunity to engage with our community partners through work on project research or interventions as practicum students during the Summer. 

The Puerto Rico Fellowship focuses on making actionable social change in the Caño Martin Peña (CMP) neighborhoods by addressing the health and wellbeing of Puerto Ricans based on the needs of residents as expressed through their community leaders. 

Specifically, the PR Fellowship offers students the opportunity to: 

Learn about the historical, political, and economic background of the island, including its relationship with the U.S., as it pertains to the public health crises following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, earthquakes, and COVID-19. 

Promote interprofessionalism through the opportunity to engage with and learn from a diverse group of health professionals and community members.  

Develop long-term partnerships with Puerto Rican organizations and engage with them in capacity-building activities that will leverage community assets and skills in a mutually beneficial way. 

Provide research, health interventions, and community education efforts to our partners to advance their community needs through advocacy efforts and community action for social, economic, and health equity.