Fellowships & Service Opportunities

SHS students are eligible for fellowships and service opportunities, some of which are compensated, through which they can gain valuable skills including working with underserved communities.
  • The Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program (PSFP) promotes health and environmental justice through yearlong, direct service, interdisciplinary, experiential learning projects for graduate students that address the needs of disadvantaged citizens in southwest Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows receive a stipend of $2,000-$3,000 for their projects and connect with other program Fellows for interdisciplinary learning and service activities.
  • The Local Government Case Competition allows participants to explore public center career possibilities in an intellectually challenging way, by strategizing with their peers to solve human service problems.
  • The Healthcare Alliance to Promote Pittsburgh Youth (HAPPY) Project is a four-year Health Services & Resources Administration funded grant that provides fellowship stipends to MSCP and PsyD students. Stipend levels are set by HRSA – MSCP students receive $10,000; PsyD students $25,000. HAPPY fellows must be selected by a HAPPY Project practicum/internship site offering some level of integrated care to children, adolescents, and young adults in high need and high demand areas. The HAPPY project also provides an enhanced practicum/internship class via additional training each semester and professional development funds which can be used for trainings, professional memberships, and other professional development. Students can apply for the HAPPY Project as part of their Practicum application ranking HAPPY sites. Per HRSA expectations, students who choose to share social identities and who meet HRSA’s definition of holding a “diverse” identity or background receive priority for HAPPY Project. Many HAPPY Project trainings and events are open to all students, faculty and staff.

  • The Leadership, Advocacy, Supervision Training (LAST) Project is a collaborative two-year Health Services & Resources Administration funded grant that provides fellowship stipends to OTD and PsyD students. Stipends are $25,000 for the training year. LAST fellows must be selected by a LAST Project practicum/internship site offering some level of integrated care to children, adolescents, and young adults in underserved and rural areas. The LAST project also provides an enhanced practicum/internship class via additional training each semester and professional development funds which can be used for trainings, professional memberships, and conference attendance. The LAST project training will be supplemented with career development mentoring and support for job placement. Per HRSA expectations, students who choose to share social identities and who meet HRSA’s definition of holding a “diverse” identity or background receive priority for LAST Project. Many LAST Project trainings and events are open to all students, faculty, and staff.

  • The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) and its three operating arms–the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (PRHI), Health Careers Futures (HCF), and the Women's Health Activist Movement Global (WHAMglobal)–develop and manage programs, research, training, and grantmaking to perfect patient care. JHF is also the fiscal agent for State HIV/AIDS funding in southwestern Pennsylvania. JHF is funded by public and private sources, and the JHF endowment.

    • The Jonas Salk Health Activist Fellowship (offered in fall) helps emerging health activists learn how to grab the public’s attention on a major health and social issue and spur action. During the program, fellows are exposed to skills around case making, advocacy, and behavioral economics in order to develop appealing platforms and build public will. Each year, the Salk Fellowship curriculum is customized to address a timely issue, need, or situation.
    • The Death & Dying Fellowship (offered in winter) takes on a key challenge: the reality that professionals are not well prepared to deal with death, dying, and grieving families. The Fellowship allows participants to learn, confront, and discuss the legal, medical, social, cultural, familial, and spiritual aspects of death and dying within a multi-disciplinary group in a low-pressure environment. 
    • The Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s 2020 Patient Safety Fellowship (offered in summer) will immerse participants in the fundamentals of patient safety as they relate to preparedness and crisis intervention.

For more service and community outreach opportunities by program, visit the following pages: