MACON — Mercer University senior Jamiyah Janice Combs was awarded the CDC John R. Lewis Faculty Public Health Scientist (Lewis Scholar) position at the University of Pittsburgh this summer.
The goal of the Pitt School of Public Health Scholars Program (PHUSP) is to advance health equity by increasing the diversity of the public health workforce. This eight-week residential program is designed to encourage historically underserved college students to consider careers in public health. The program focuses on maternal and child health, environmental justice, climate and health.
“My passion for promoting health equity has always driven me to advocate for others,” Combs said. “The CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program allows me to pursue my passion in an impactful way.”
Combs, a Senoia native, is a global health major with a double minor in anthropology and sociology. She is a member of Phi Beta Her Kappa National Honor Society and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. She is also a member of the Global Health Association, a student mentor in the Minority Mentoring Program, secretary of Community Health and Promotion Scholars, president of the International Bear Association, and a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. There is also. She received the Diversity Inclusion Excellence Student Award and is a four-time recipient of the Delta Scholarship Fund Award.
“Lewis Scholars won gold medals at Jamiyah,” said Dr. Ryan Tokarts, assistant professor of global health. “It would be impossible not to recognize the blend of intelligence, empathy, and grit that Jamiyah brings to the table every day at Mercer University. She approaches her work with curiosity and unwavering determination. , Jamyah is a pleasure to work with and has made our classrooms a more enjoyable and conducive workspace. You can expect to experience all of this and more at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and wherever she lands in her future endeavors.”
After graduation, Combs plans to attend Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health and earn a master's degree in public health.
About the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholar (Lewis Scholar) Program
CDC's Office of Health Equity (OHE) supports the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (Lewis Scholars) Program and the Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases (Ferguson) Graduate Fellowship. These programs provide internship and fellowship opportunities for qualified undergraduate and graduate students to gain meaningful experience in public health settings.
