LECOM Lauds Scholars Selected for Schweitzer Fellowship

The renowned physician-theologian, Albert Schweitzer shared with mankind, decades of knowledge and wisdom. In 1952, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an event that marked a life lived with a profound purpose and an abiding wisdom.

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) shares and inculcates the tenets of this famed philosopher, seeking out emblematic attributes within its student body.

Keeping with that fundamental message LECOM is pleased to announce that several scholars have been selected as the 20212022 participants of the Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program.

LECOM first-year medical students, Sam Bennett Lassiter and Elizabeth Kan will be continuing and expanding upon an established community betterment program known as Empowered Voices through Achieva. The program develops leaders in the direct service of improving health, promoting well-being, and assisting at-risk communities and under served populations. The duo will be building upon the lessons begun by previous Fellows as they incorporate a more individualized approach to the program. This approach includes the creation of personalized success plans and modules that foster growth and confidence to help struggling individuals succeed, facilitating their efforts to become independent in their personal and professional lives.

Jennifer Haseleu, a LECOM first-year medical scholar, will be working with schools around the Greater Pittsburgh area to educate youth about mental health wellness. She will be hosting workshops for the students that highlight healthful mental habits and coping skills. For the teachers, she will be hosting the National Council for Behavioral Health Mental Health First Aid courses, which teach the ability to recognize and respond to emerging mental health issues.

Fellow LECOM first-year student, Laura Holton, will be working with Life-Way Pregnancy Center to help break the cycle of health disparities faced by single mothers and their children. Holton will work with mothers to assist them in implementing simple, healthful changes in their personal lives that also can be shared with their children. The project will provide resources, increase overall health and wellness knowledge, and empower women to advocate for their own health and the health of their children. By developing leaders in service who embody the legacy of Albert Schweitzer, M.D., the yearlong, direct service, interdisciplinary, experiential learning program for graduate students addresses the needs of disadvantaged citizens throughout southwest Pennsylvania. As the only course of its kind, the Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program attracts exceptional, emerging professionals, offering them an opportunity to experience the benefits and challenges of working with distressed populations. The Fellowship is open to graduate students studying in any curriculum across southwestern Pennsylvania, thereby providing a forum for scholars to interact with future professionals from a variety of disciplines.

LECOM scholars have participated in the Schweitzer Fellowship Program since 2006. The Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellowship Program is one of 13 chapters of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. To date, more than 3,800 Schweitzer Fellows across the United States have delivered more than 750,000 hours of service to people in need.

LECOM has held fast to the meaningful endeavors of physician-servants such as Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Recalling his words that, “Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us,” the College takes great pride in extending its hearty congratulations to Sam Bennett Lassiter, Elizabeth Kan, Jennifer Haseleu, and Laura Holton.