Flint, MI — Michigan State University is offering a new scholarship to Flint-area public health students and workers to pursue a master’s degree in public health.
The scholarship will be offered to any individual who lives or works in the greater Flint area, including Mt. Morris and Burton, and who has been accepted into MSU’s online Master of Public Health program for fall 2021. The award covers all tuition and fees.
The aim is to encourage students from the Flint community to pursue a graduate-level degree in public health by offering them financial support.
“We are part of the Division of Public Health, which is headquartered in Flint,” said Director of MSU’s Master of Public Health Program Wayne McCullough. “So, we are Flint-centric. We are really attempting to bring people from the Flint area into the master of public health programs so that they can then [give] back to the community.”
MSU’s MPH program is a 43-credit program that can be completed in 19 months. The scholarship applies to both full-time and part-time students.
Due to COVID-19, the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is not required to apply at this time.
“Over the past year, we have witnessed how the global coronavirus pandemic has a local impact. Our Public Health colleagues have played a critical role collaborating in the Flint community to get credible and reliable information to the public,” McCullough said. COVID-19 has demonstrated the importance of having public health experts embedded within the community, protecting people’s health where they live or work.”
To be eligible for the scholarship, an individual must:
- Live and work in the greater Flint community and be accepted into the MPH program
- Submit a 300 to 500-word personal statement discussing their “commitment to the Flint community” and their “plans/goals within the Flint community for implementing the knowledge obtained through completion of the Master of Public Health program”
- Submit their resume/CV
The scholarship application deadline is June 15, 2021. Those interested can apply here.
Though the scholarship is not needs-based, financial needs will be considered. Scholarship applications will be reviewed by the Master of Public Health Scholarship Review Committee.
The deadline to apply for MSU’s fall 2021 MPH program is May 31.
McCullough said they hope to offer the scholarship to more Flint-area public health students in the upcoming years.
“We want to grow this, so that there are more students, and then therefore more public health workers that are giving back and really helping to solve some Flint areas thorniest public health issues,” he said.