The Student Leadership Program Committee of the MCH Section has selected ten Student Fellows to participate in a year-long student leadership program and five Student Authors to be featured at the upcoming Annual Meeting.  Thanks to support from the Colgate Foundation and the Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health (ATMATCH), the MCH Section was able to accept all 10 applicants into the Student Fellows Program and to provide cash awards to the top two Student Authors.  Student Fellows receive stipends to help support their attendance at the Annual Meeting; Student Authors receive a stipend to support Annual Meeting registration.

The overall goal of the Student Fellows Program is to foster the development of leaders in science, program, and policy related to the health of women, children, and their families.  The fellowship program is designed to provide Student Fellows an opportunity to enrich their professional experience by participating in professional education and policy development at a national level.  Student Fellows participate in a range of activities at the Annual Meeting and over the course of the fellowship year including assignment to a mentor from the MCH Section leadership.  The 2007-08 Student Fellows represent five different university programs from across the country and are currently enrolled in a masters or doctoral level program in public health or a related field.  The Review Committee was very impressed with the academic records and demonstrated interest in public health and MCH of this year’s applicants.

The MCH Section has been a leader in developing and supporting student participation in Association and Section activities.  In addition to engaging the Student Fellows in MCH Section leadership activities, the Student Leadership Committee will be working on at least three key activities this year:

·         continuing to strengthen leadership opportunities for Student Fellows within the MCH Section.

·         developing and conducting an evaluation of the Student Fellows Program.

·         identifying funding sources for continued support of the Student Fellows and Student Authors programs.

We encourage you to welcome the new Student Fellows to the MCH Section at the Martha May Eliot luncheon, and to attend the Student Author sessions at the Annual Meeting.  For additional information about the programs, becoming a Student Fellow mentor, or working with the Committee, please contact Karen VanLandeghem, Secretary-Elect, MCH Section, at kvanlandeghem@ameritech.net.