4/05/10--Boston College Law School is pleased to announce that BC Law School student Rebecca Zeidel has been selected as a 2010-11 Boston Schweitzer Fellow. Over the next year, Zeidel will join approximately 200 other 2010-11 Schweitzer Fellows across the country in conceptualizing and carrying out service projects that address the unmet health-related needs of underserved individuals and communities.

Especially noteworthy is the fact that Zeidel is the only law student among the 25 Fellows from Massachusetts, says Mary Ann Chirba Martin, a BC Law professor familiar with the Schweitzer selection process. "Competition for [the Fellowship] is always fierce…she deserves high praise for doing so well."

Zeidel aims to address issues of mental health care access by partnering with Health Law Advocates to work towards ensuring that health insurance plans for low-income people provide coverage for mental health services equal to that of physical health services. Zeidel will work with clients to understand the effects of Mental Health Parity laws on youth in Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) appointments; evaluate how Mental Health Parity is working in practice for low-income clients; and assist in preparing for court appearances in which access to mental health services could improve the outcome for a client. Upon completion of her initial year, Zeidel will become a Schweitzer Fellow for Life--and join a vibrant network of over 2,000 individuals who are skilled in, and committed to, addressing the health needs of underserved people throughout their careers as professionals.

Boston is one of eleven Schweitzer sites across the U.S. Since 1992, the Boston Schweitzer Fellows Program has supported graduate students in following in Dr. Albert Schweitzer's footsteps. Translating their passion and idealism into action, these graduate students partner with community- based organizations to develop and implement yearlong service projects that meet the health needs of Boston and Worcester’s most underserved populations.

More information on the Boston Schweitzer Fellows Program can be found here, and you can find a full listing of the 2010-11 Boston Schweitzer Fellows here.

Two BC Law Students Land Rappaport Fellowships

JT Do, a BC Law public service scholar, and Kimberly Wade, both first-year students, were awarded Rappaport Fellowships for 2010. The fellowships offer 12 graduate students 10-week summer internships in key state and local agencies in the Greater Boston area. Fellows also participate in a weekly seminar series with leading practitioners and scholars and are required to write a short essay related to their experiences.

The fellowship program is a key component of The Rappaport Institute, which aims to improve the governance of Greater Boston by fostering better connections between the region's scholars, policymakers, and civic leaders. In addition to the Public Policy Program, the Institute develops and disseminates policy-relevant research in timely and accessible ways; fosters conversations between researchers and practitioners; hosts public events on regional issues; and offers training for local officials.

In previous years, fellows have worked on a diverse range of projects that include: school reform plans, environmental risk assessment, public-private partnerships, community development projects, performance-management systems, racial bias in the juvenile justice system, health coverage for foster children, and reduction plans for greenhouse gases.