AHEC earns national award for health care access
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Community Health Alliance and High Sierra AHEC Celebrate Successful Student Ambassador Volunteer Program
Community Health Alliance and High Sierra Area Health Education Center (AHEC) are thrilled to announce the successful completion of a 40-hour volunteer rotation by Northern Nevada Student Ambassadors. These dedicated students gained invaluable, hands-on experience by immersing themselves in CHA’s comprehensive healthcare services across the Reno-Sparks area. Their efforts provided meaningful support to CHA staff and the community while offering students real-world exposure to the inner workings of a healthcare organization. The program not only strengthened CHA’s ability to meet critical community needs but also served as an inspiring introduction to healthcare careers for the next generation of professionals. Through these efforts, the program improves access to quality care in rural and underserved communities.
Throughout the program, Student Ambassadors actively contributed to several key CHA departments, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the prescription food pantry, dentistry, health center and back-office operations. Their efforts provided meaningful support to CHA staff and the community while offering students real-world exposure to the inner workings of a healthcare organization.
Program Highlights:
Assisting families with essential nutritional counseling through the WIC program
Distributing food and resources to families in need at the prescription food pantry
Observing dental care practices and procedures alongside CHA’s dental team
Supporting front and back-office health center operations to ensure smooth delivery of care
This immersive experience highlighted the importance of collaboration, compassion, and teamwork in delivering quality healthcare to underserved populations. The program not only strengthened CHA’s ability to meet critical community needs but also served as an inspiring introduction to healthcare careers for the next generation of professionals.
“This program reflects our shared commitment to educating and empowering future healthcare leaders,” said Community Health Alliance CEO Oscar Delgado, MSW, MUP. “The hands-on experience gained through this rotation provides valuable insights into healthcare delivery while reinforcing the impact of community-based care.”
“High Sierra AHEC is proud to partner with Community Health Alliance to provide invaluable opportunities for our students,” said Andrea Gregg, CEO of High Sierra AHEC. “This collaboration highlights the power of employer partnerships in shaping the future healthcare workforce. We are committed to expanding experiential learning opportunities, empowering students to gain the skills needed to become tomorrow’s healthcare leaders while strengthening Nevada’s healthcare system.”
High Sierra AHEC and CHA remain dedicated to fostering opportunities for students to engage, learn, and contribute to improving the health and well-being of Northern Nevada communities.
About Community Health Alliance
Community Health Alliance is a non-profit, federally qualified health center formed in July 2012 and is the largest provider of primary medical and dental services to Medicaid patients in Northern Nevada, serving over 32,000 patients annually. They also provide behavioral health, low-cost pharmacies, even prescription food pantries to all patients. Community Health Alliance operates six primary care locations in Reno and Sparks, as well as mobile medical and dental programs. In addition, they are the largest Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provider in Northern Nevada. For more information, visit www.chanevada.org.
About High Sierra AHEC
High Sierra Area Health Education Center (AHEC) tackles Nevada’s healthcare workforce shortages by recruiting, training, and inspiring diverse professionals. Through education and hands-on learning, High Sierra AHEC connects students with career pathways, improving access to quality care in rural and underserved communities. Through these efforts, the program improves access to quality care in rural and underserved communities, ensuring that Nevada’s residents receive the support they need while fostering a stronger, more equitable healthcare system. For more information, visit www.highsierraahec.org.
$1 Million and Counting in Free Community Care by UConn Students
Since 2007 the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars at UConn have been providing critical health care access to underserved Connecticut citizens. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Suschana, 28, in the Class of 2025 from Somers, Conn., is a proud Urban Servicetrack Scholar. She helped support CT AHEC’s 2023 reengagement with farms in rural communities that were slowed during the ongoing pandemic. She has had the unique opportunity of learning and volunteering with other health professional students in the program from across UConn’s schools of medicine, dental medicine, social work, pharmacy, nursing, and also physician assistant students from Quinnipiac University too, while doing free community-based health care in Hartford, and coordinating student-run health fairs and other urban service events. “I’ve grown so much academically and professionally thanks to the program,” saysSuschana.“UConn and its students are the bridge connecting them to the right resources and social services they need from inside their community,’ says Associate Dean for Primary Care Anton Alerte, MD.
Fourth-year UConn medical student Elizabeth “Lizzie” Suschana, 28, in the Class of 2025 from Somers, Conn., is a proud Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholar.
The Urban Service Track is a special, competitive and interprofessional CT AHEC training program that she applied and was accepted to while matriculating into UConn School of Medicine. She has had the unique opportunity of learning and volunteering with other health professional students in the program from across UConn’s schools of medicine, dental medicine, social work, pharmacy, nursing, and also physician assistant students from Quinnipiac University too, while doing free community-based health care in Hartford, and coordinating student-run health fairs and other urban service events. She helped support CT AHEC’s 2023 reengagement with farms in rural communities that were slowed during the ongoing pandemic.
“The Urban Services Track is really good at pushing us out of our comfort zones whether it’s in a new urban care setting or teaching us leadership skills. I’ve grown so much academically and professionally thanks to the program,” says Suschana. “I’ve learned a lot of different health care provider approaches to patient care, especially from the nursing students who excel at communicating with patients.”
Suschana was even honored with a 2024 Leadership Award for her service in the community and larger Urban Service Track program.
“It’s really rewarding to do community service and to have your hard work recognized. But being on the front lines to see the immediate impact you are having on underserved people and groups, and how appreciative they are, is truly an amazing reward in itself.”
In June 2024, the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars hit their $1 million milestone in its history since 2007 of UConn students giving back to the community with free health care screenings, health promotion education, and referrals to dental and medical safety net agencies.
“It’s a really big deal!” says Suschana. “This providing of $1 million in free care inside the community puts the power of the Urban Service Track program all in perspective. The work that UST students, faculty and staff put in for the community is incredible. Hitting the $1 million mark reminds us of all the coordination that goes into this program on the front lines and the time of UConn students giving back in the community. It really shows the widespread impact of the Urban Service Track and its Scholars since its launch.”
Suschana adds, “This validates our program’s positive influence on the most vulnerable people of Connecticut. Big disparities in health care and access exist in the Hartford area. For example, a lot of people can’t miss time from their job or don’t have transportation to get to the doctor’s office. To bring care to them inside their communities is really important!”
Suschana believes what is most unique about UST is the program’s work in partnership with community members and organizations to figure out what the community really wants and designs programming for them: “The community know what they want and need, and UST really offers personalized community care.”
The Associate Dean for Primary Care, Anton Alerte, MD sees “the work in these community health fairs as an extension and a synthesis of all the hard work these students put into their classroom studies. There they learn not only about the biology of health but also the societal influences that affect that health. Through community-based experiential training, Urban Health Scholars take that knowledge and use it as a tool to address the needs of their community. I couldn’t be prouder of their efforts,” says Alerte.
Suchana says there is a misconception that underserved communities don’t value their health. But she stresses that they do value their health but often have significant barriers to accessing care. “UConn and its students are the bridge connecting them to the health care resources and social services they need from right inside their community.”
Suschana is not only an Urban Scholar, but also a student athlete. She played Division 1 lacrosse at the University of New Hampshire. She then upped her game and moved to England to earn her master’s degree in clinical nutrition at the University of Nottingham. She then decided to return to her home state to begin UConn medical school and be close to her family.
“I joined the UConn medical school and CT AHEC Urban Scholar family. A family is a perfect way to describe exactly what UConn is. I have met a lot of mentors and friends who are so passionate about medicine, education, and community service outside our medical school’s walls,” says Suschana.
What’s next for this Urban Scholar and future MD?
“It’s crazy that in May I will be graduating medical school as a new UConn doctor,” she says.
Suschana also heartwarmingly recalls one standout community service event encounter with a young mother at a health fair event. She wanted to do the offered free health screenings but was juggling her two kids.
“I brought her over to do her screenings with a fellow student, and offered to watch and play with her children so she could focus on herself and her health for a few minutes,” Suschana says. “A few minutes that could really be lifechanging if she was high-risk for a condition like heart disease or diabetes. This community interaction is a strong reminder of the social barriers that really exist for women accessing care, we really need to address these issues!”
This community health care experience and her medical school training has inspired Lizzie to soon be applying to residency training programs in the field of OB/GYN.
“The field of OB/GYN can be the most beautiful in the world, but it also can be complicated or heartbreaking. I want to help women and be a strong force for advocating for them and their health care needs,” she stresses.
“I would 100 percent recommend UST to incoming medical students and other health professional students at UConn. It’s a unique program and experience to learn from other health professional students and gain experience in caring for underserved communities. It’s so important to improving underserved populations care and for learning to be a good patient care provider for all, no matter where they live.”
Suschana concludes: “It’s an unmatched experience!”
We can’t wait to see what the future Dr. Suschana does next, along with her other Urban Scholars from UConn. Thank you for your community service and partnership!
About the Program
The Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program is designed to produce a cadre of well qualified health care professionals through prevention and primary care in Connecticut’s urban underserved communities. As Urban Health/AHEC Scholars, participants represent a select group of students enrolled in the UConn Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine, Dental Medicine, Social Work, and Quinnipiac University’s Physician Assistant Program.
A total of 60 Urban Health/AHEC Scholars, eight to twenty students per school, are selected each year from among qualified applicants who have a demonstrated commitment to service. They gain valuable exposure to the complex and challenging issues of health care in the inner city. A strong mentorship component supports learners as they navigate their own personal and professional development.
Students develop competencies in the following areas: culture and linguistics; population health; health policy; advocacy; health care financing and management; leadership; community resources; interprofessional health care teams; and quality improvement.
Learn more about the program run by CT AHEC based at UConn Health.
Zongjie Wang Wins ‘Women of Innovation’ Award for Research Innovation and Leadership
Zongjie Wang, assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering, has been awarded the state-level Women of Innovation Award for Research Innovation and Leadership by the Connecticut Technology Council. The award recognizes women across all STEM fields who have made outstanding contributions to innovation, research, and leadership. Wang’s recognition highlights her exceptional work in advancing grid resilience, renewable energy integration, and electric grid modernization. Her contributions were also acknowledged by Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Gov. Ned Lamont, who provided official certificates that emphasize the importance of her work for the state of Connecticut.
This highly competitive, state-level award, selected out of a total of 45 finalists, recognizes women across all STEM fields who have made outstanding contributions to innovation, research, and leadership. Wang’s recognition highlights her exceptional work in advancing grid resilience, renewable energy integration, and electric grid modernization.
Wang’s contributions were also acknowledged by Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Gov. Ned Lamont, who provided official certificates with their specific comments that emphasize the importance of her work for the state of Connecticut.
Wang was also featured in a live TV interview on WTNH-TV Channel 8, where she introduced her research background and discussed the impact of her work on increasing grid resilience by reducing power outages and enabling faster recovery during major events.
Reflecting on the significance of the award, Wang expressed her thoughts on how this recognition helps to elevate the visibility of women’s contributions in STEM: “This award shines a light on women who are making great contributions in STEM, particularly in engineering. This recognition will continue to encourage more women to pursue their careers and leadership roles, knowing their work can truly make a difference.”
Wang was nominated for this prestigious award by vice provost Leslie Shor.
“Zongjie is one of our most productive and inspiring junior faculty,” says Shor. “We are so proud of the transformational impact her work is bringing to Connecticut communities.”
In addition to her leadership in research, Wang has played a pivotal role at the Eversource Energy Center in driving innovative solutions for grid modernization.
“Zongjie is one of the most driven individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” says Emmanouil “Manos” Anagnostou, the Center’s director. “She is a bright and talented addition to the Eversource Energy Center, bringing critical expertise in power system analysis and optimization. Through Zongjie, we are more connected to our university and state communities than ever. She brings leadership on industry outreach and education initiatives, and it shows in the increased strength and impact of our Center.”
In addition to honoring Wang’s accomplishments, this award underscores UConn’s commitment to supporting pioneering research that advances a more sustainable and resilient energy future. Wang’s work in renewable energy integration and power systems has a lasting impact on the state of Connecticut, the Northeast region, and beyond.
Neag School Associate Professor Saran Stewart Wins Teaching Award
Saran Stewart has been named the 2024 Dr. Perry A. Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award recipient. Stewart focuses her scholarly work on issues in comparative education, decolonizing methodologies, critical/ inclusive pedagogy, and problems of access and equity in higher education. She also serves as UConn Hartford’s director of academic affairs. She is a Salzburg Global Fellow and has received several other awards, including the Vice Chancellor Award for Excellence from the University of the West Indies and Emerging Scholar award from the African Diaspora Emerging Scholar Society. She has edited a book, “Decolonizing Qualitative Methodologies by the Caribbean,” which was chosen as the 2020 Outstanding Academic Title by the International Caribbean Approaches for and by the. Caribbean, which was. chosen as. the Outstanding academic Title for the 2020 Choice Choice Award by the CARICOM Institute for the Advancement of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Studies Association of the. South and Central America and Caribbean.
The Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award is awarded annually to a full-time faculty member in the Neag School. Alumnus Perry A. Zirkel ’68 MA, ’72 Ph.D., ’76 JD is a university professor emeritus of education and law at Lehigh University, where he formerly was dean of the College of Education and more recently held the Iacocca Chair in Education for its five-year term. He has a Ph.D. in educational administration, a JD from the University of Connecticut, and a Master of Laws degree from Yale University.
It is rewarding to learn that my students and colleagues value the learning environment I try every class to co-create for our students. — Saran Stewart
“Receiving this teaching award is a tremendous honor and a deeply meaningful moment in my career,” Stewart says. “It reaffirms my passion for ‘education as the practice of freedom’ and my commitment to fostering an inclusive, anti-racist, equity-minded, socially-just, engaging learning environment for my students. This recognition inspires me to continue pushing the boundaries of traditional teaching methods and to seek new ways to engage, inspire, and nurture my students’ curiosity, differences and creativity.”
“Dr. Stewart is a critical researcher who focuses on the impacts of race and racism in three ways: across global contexts, through learner-centered pedagogies, and intersectional analysis of the racialized and gendered experiences of faculty and staff,” wrote nominator Frank Tuitt, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at UConn, and professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs. “The basis of Dr. Stewart’s scholarship draws from an international comparative lens and many critical frameworks. Not surprisingly, Dr. Stewart’s scholarship has significantly contributed to the decolonial and anti-racism discourse in higher education.”
“It’s important to recognize excellence in teaching, as the preparation, reflection, dedication, grit, and fortitude it takes to not only teach difficult content but deliver it in a way that allows for critical dialogue to be explored is no easy feat,” Stewart says. “It is rewarding to learn that my students and colleagues value the learning environment I try every class to co-create for our students.”
In addition to being an excellent scholar who uses meticulous detail and in-depth analysis in her work, Stewart is known as an outstanding teacher with a fantastic ability to translate complex theoretical principles and concepts into accessible language for diverse groups of individuals and stakeholders.
“Dr. Stewart has created an environment where, when her students learning has been stretched, she has moved the needle in the development of critical consciousness,” wrote nominator Laura Burton, professor and head of the Department of Educational Leadership.
These skills were most recently displayed when she co-taught Critical Race Theory in Higher Education last year.
“In almost every class session, I witnessed her transform the space, leaving every student in a passionate state of awe,” Tuitt wrote. “Her energy, brilliance, and steadfast commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment inspired a deep hope for what bell hooks refers to as engaging in education as practice freedom.”
In almost every class session, I witnessed her transform the space, leaving every student in a passionate state of awe. — Frank Tuitt
In 2018, Stewart and two other authors were informed that their article “Transforming the Classroom at Traditionally White Institutions to Make Black Lives Matter,” which was featured in the 2017 edition of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Education Development, received some of the journal’s highest downloads in the 12-months after its online publication.
Further, three of Stewart’s publications have been nominated and selected for awards, including her 2019 edited book “Decolonizing Qualitative Approaches for and by the Caribbean,” which was chosen as the 2020 Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
She is a Salzburg Global Fellow and has received several other awards, including the 2019 Vice Chancellor Award for Excellence from the University of the West Indies and the 2018 African Diaspora Emerging Scholar award by the Comparative and International Education Society. She is editor of Decolonizing Qualitative Methodologies for and by the Caribbean (Information Age Publishing) and co-editor of Race, Equity, and the Learning Environment: The Global Relevance of Critical and Inclusive Pedagogies in Higher Education (Stylus).
Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Stewart has over 15 years of experience as a worldwide higher education administrator, professor, and scholar-activist. Stewart holds a BA (English and international studies), MA (international administration), MBA (marketing), and Ph.D. in higher education with a concentration in diversity and higher learning and a specialization in international education development.
Neag School alumni, current students, and faculty were invited to nominate a faculty member for the annual Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award, and a committee selected the recipient. Previous awardees include Danielle Fillipiak in 2023, Tamika LaSalle in 2022, Milagros Castillo-Montoya in 2020, Jennie Weiner in 2019, and D. Betsy McCoach as the inaugural recipient in 2018.
Stewart officially received the award during the year-end Neag School Meeting on May 3, and her name will be added to the award plaque in the Neag School Dean’s Office.
UConn Medical Student Wins National Research Poster Competition
Ireneoluwatomiwa “Ire” Opayemi was honored by the American College of Physicians at their national Internal Medicine Meeting, held April 18-20 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. His research explored the impacts of the Step 1 P/F change and compared it to the 2021 survey. He is currently wrapping up a year of study devoted to earning the degree of Master of Public Health. He will return to his medical school studies this summer and is on course to graduate, and officially become Dr.Opayemi, in May 2025. His study findings have already helped his fellow UConn medical students.
Opayemi’s research poster was on his “Assessment of Medical Students’ Mental Health, Perspectives, Attitudes, and Extracurricular Adaptations due to the USMLE Step 1 Exam Pass/Fail Scoring Change amid the COVID-19 Pandemic” at UConn School of Medicine.
UConn Health Family Medicine physician Dr. Adam Perrin, Faculty Co-Director of Student Affairs and director of Student Wellness at the UConn School of Medicine, served as his faculty mentor and assisted him as principal investigator (PI) for the research project.
In January 2022, the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE) Step 1 transitioned from a numerical score to a pass/fail scoring system, primarily to reduce the stress associated with the exam. Opayemi’s research explored the impacts of the Step 1 P/F change and compared it to the 2021 survey. It included perspectives, attitudes, and mental health status of medical students; the modifying effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ board studying habits and confidence; and residency competitiveness.
Opayemi’s research study findings revealed a mixed response to the change with a substantial portion of students perceiving a reduction in stress. But the majority expressed increased stress due to residency application pressures. Mental health assessments showed no substantial differences between 2021 and 2023 in depression and anxiety. However, the lack of significant differences observed across different classes highlights the pervasive nature of these issues.
His study findings have already helped his fellow UConn medical students.
“This study has increased the awareness of the mental health impact of Step and has led to significant changes at the place of this study,” reports Opayemi. “This research highlights the importance of continuous attention to the mental well-being of medical students.”
“I am very proud of Ire’s work,” says Perrin. “The subject matter explored in this project is very much reflective of his focus on the mental health of medical students. Ire is very much about advocating for his classmates, as well as his patients, for the betterment of their mental health.”
Interestingly, Opayemi is a founding member of the UConn Health chapter of Medical Minds Matter, a student-run organization “that seeks to transform the narrative of mental health in the medical field through storytelling, community-building, and grassroots advocacy efforts.” The organization is focused on dispelling the stigma surrounding mental health challenges in medical professionals.
Opayemi is currently wrapping up a year of study devoted to earning the degree of Master of Public Health. He will return to his medical school studies this summer and is on course to graduate, and officially become Dr. Opayemi, in May 2025.
Source: https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/rural-medicine-outreach-programs-staff-roles-20422243.php