5 UIC students earn Schweitzer Fellowships

Ugonna Nwakudu discovered improvisational acting while in high school in Darien, Illinois. As a student learning with ADHD, she found improv games to be a helpful tool in strengthening emotional regulation skills.  

She continued to practice improv while at Yale for her premed degree, advancing beyond games to longer-form acting.  

Nwakudu, a second-year UIC student in the College of Medicine, used her experience and love of creative expression through improvisation to develop a new type of educational program. She hopes to support children who have neurodevelopmental conditions and live on Chicago’s South Side by using improv games and acting to foster emotional regulation.

Nwakudu’s program is one of five community service projects created by UIC students that were awarded funding through the Chicago Area Schweitzer Program. All five students are from UIC’s health sciences colleges: Abdalla Ali, Retzky College of Pharmacy; Hannah Lewis, Jane Addams College of Social Work; Yasemin Mumay, College of Dentistry; Eric Peprah Osei, College of Nursing; and Nwakudu, College of Medicine.  

The Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program was founded in 1996 to provide grants to students in a variety of medical fields to develop and dedicate time to community service. So far, more than 800 students have completed more than 15,000 hours of service, according to the organization. For the 2025-26 school year, 26 students from 11 schools were awarded grants. 

“The Schweitzer Fellowship is a reminder for me that research is not just about ideas, but it’s also about people, their stories and how we can use that knowledge to make a difference,” Peprah Osei said. 

From teaching diabetes education to youth suicide prevention, the five UIC students have developed projects that are near to their studies and hearts.  

For example, Ali, a pharmacy student, is creating workshops focused on hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which is a common side effect of diabetes medication. His programs will be presented in Chicago Lawn, a Southwest Side neighborhood that has a higher rate of residents with diabetes.

“Creating sustainable educational programs — from one-on-one counseling to workshops and activities — may support patients to address or overcome barriers to health that they may be facing,” Ali said in a release.  

All fellows commit to 200 hours of community service through their projects and have mentors available through the fellowship program for support.  

Teaching emotions through play 

While she is still finalizing the details of her improv curriculum for neurodivergent students, Nwakudu said that helping them find their voice is at the heart of her project. She wants to create spaces for children and families to learn to process their emotions, ultimately leading to better mental health. 

“Similar to my own journey, I’m hoping that these kids are able to learn emotional regulation, teamwork and communication skills,” said Nwakudu, who was awarded the Frank J. Indihar, MD Fellowship within the Schweitzer program. “I think improv allows you to practice those skills in such a safe and controlled environment. This is really helpful for people with conditions where the outside world can often be really overstimulating.” 

She credits Hinsdale South High School theater teacher Danny Yuska for helping her use improv to embolden her education.  

“I also think I’m so lucky to grow up in a family where imagination was something that was so prized and emphasized by everyone,” Nwakudu said. “I think that really helped create the foundation for, not only the way I’ve enjoyed improv in high school, college and beyond, but just my way for approaching life.” 

Teaching Black communities about diabetes care 

Peprah Osei is leading a community-based program to improve diabetes education within Black communities across Chicago. He has created program materials that are culturally adapted and interactive that focus on lifestyle changes and family health.  

“What makes this project unique is its cultural adaptation,” Peprah Osei said. “We are using health instruction materials that are tailored to the lived experiences, beliefs and values of the community. The goal is to make health information not only accessible but meaningful to those we serve.”

His programs include education about reading food labels, improving physical activity and understanding blood sugar levels and readings. 

Peprah Osei, a third-year PhD student from the College of Nursing, is from Ghana and said he has seen the impact of diabetes within his own family and during his courses at UIC.  

“Something I noticed during my volunteer work here in Chicago was the lack of tailored education materials and programs that truly speak to the Black communities,” said Peprah Osei, whose internship is at the Center for Nursing Professional Practice & Research at the University of Chicago. “So many people I spoke with never received diabetes education that reflected their culture, their language or their life circumstances. But what really moved me was how eager and open they are to learn.” 

Improving oral health outcomes through education 

Mumay, a senior dental student, has always been passionate about preventive dentistry and serving underserved communities. She says that oral hygiene, though often overlooked, plays a vital role in both overall health and public well-being. 

“With just a little effort,” she said. “We can make a big difference in people’s lives. This project isn’t about immediate results; it’s about long-term well-being for individuals and the community.” 

Through her Schweitzer Fellowship, Mumay is leading an oral health education project at El Valor, a nonprofit that supports underserved families with lower incomes across Chicago. The organization serves a diverse population, including families with young children, expectant mothers and individuals with disabilities, providing resources that help them live more empowered lives. 

Mumay plans to take part in preschool classroom activities using a model of “edutainment,” a playful blend of storytelling, songs, puppets and interactive demonstrations designed to make oral hygiene fun for young children. In addition, she will host events that offer oral hygiene education and nutrition counseling for all family members. 

“My goal is to make brushing and healthy habits feel fun and natural,” she said. “This project lived in my heart for years. With this fellowship, I finally have the chance to bring it to life and hopefully make a lasting difference in the community.” 

Bringing ‘hope,’ suicide prevention education to teens 

Lewis, a second-year student in the Jane Addams School of Social Work, lost her older brother, Ray, to suicide. Her project, “Rays of Hope,” honors his memory and is designed to provide teens with a safe space to learn coping skills and have supportive conversations.  

Lewis spent three years as a middle school social worker before enrolling at UIC and talked to teens and preteens about what they would hope to see from the program.

“One student told me, ‘I don’t want another school thing; I don’t want to feel like I’m in school,’” Lewis said. She added that the objective of the project is to create a divergence of “therapy and hanging out with friends.”  

Lewis hopes her program can inspire adolescents to seek out after-school spaces that help them share their changing feelings and emotions. 

“It’s that bridge where kids want to be playing games, doing crafts and also have that education piece where they can talk about how to cope with mental health or what to do if a friend says, ‘Hey, I’m really struggling right now,’” she said.