By Staff
The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama has named three University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing students to its 2026-27 cohort. They are among 25 fellows from across the healthcare field who will spend the next 15 months immersed in community public health projects.
“We are thrilled to welcome the largest cohort of Fellows in Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Alabama’s history,” said Kimberly Eaton, Executive Director of ASF of Alabama. “This year’s applicant pool was truly exceptional, filled with passionate, thoughtful and deeply committed emerging professionals, making the selection process both inspiring and incredibly difficult. These Fellows have already demonstrated remarkable initiative, thoughtfully refining their project ideas and identifying meaningful ways to serve our communities. I am confident they will carry forward the Schweitzer legacy of service and leadership and we look forward to seeing the impact they will create across Alabama in the months ahead.”
Dylan Carpenter, MSN, RN, CWOCN, PCCN, MEDSURG-BC, is a Wound Ostomy Continence Team Quality Lead at UAB Hospital and a Post-MSN to DNP Pathway student with a concentration in Executive Nurse Leadership. Carpenter’s project is in partnership with Firehouse Ministries in Birmingham and focuses on improving preventive foot health among adults experiencing homelessness through individualized education, foot screenings, access to basic foot care supplies and connections to medical resources when concerns are identified. During each outreach encounter, participants receive practical education on daily foot care, learn about early warning signs of complications and get information about when and where to seek help. The goal is to reach at least 60 individuals by February 2027, with 80 percent of participants demonstrating at least a 20 percent improvement in foot health knowledge.
“One of the most meaningful parts of the project so far has been seeing how quickly the community has embraced it,” Carpenter said. “Beyond the measurable outcomes, I hope the project can improve access to preventive care, identify foot concerns before they become more serious and provide participants with practical resources they can use despite the challenges associated with housing insecurity.”
Jocelyn McAlpine, MSN, CRNP, AGNP-C (MSN 2019), is a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator II and a post-master’s DNP student enrolled in the Nurse Leadership in Population Health pathway. In her project, she is partnering with two churches in the Bessemer area, Bethel Baptist Church and New Hope Baptist Church, to provide heart health education aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease in the African American community. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and African Americans are disproportionately affected by the disease.
The program consists of 11 weekly, one-hour classes that provide practical, culturally relevant strategies for improving health and adopting healthier behaviors. The first cohort recently completed the program at Bethel Baptist Church, and participants have reported positive health changes, including weight loss, reductions in A1c levels and increased physical activity. The next cohort begins in September at New Hope Baptist Church.
“The primary goal of my project is to increase health-promoting behaviors, help community members identify and utilize health resources they already have access to and empower individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed health decisions,” McAlpine said. “I have truly enjoyed being part of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship because it has given me the opportunity to turn my passion for creating positive change in my community into meaningful action.”
LaQuadria Robinson, DNP, CRNP, PMHNP-BC (BSN 2015, MSN 2017, DNP 2023), is an Assistant Professor in the School and PhD student whose project, MindFEAS, is a five-week, in-person mindfulness-based intervention designed for vulnerable and underserved adults. The project provides participants with a free, evidence-based, nonpharmacologic approach to managing daily stressors through guided mindfulness and meditation.
“The goal of this project is to create a supportive space where individuals learn simple, effective tools they can use to better manage stress and support their emotional well-being,” Robinson said.
MindFEAS was developed in response to barriers that can influence engagement in traditional mental health treatment, particularly stigma associated with mental illness and the use of psychotropic medications. Rather than positioning medication as the only approach to managing mental health concerns, the project introduces participants to practical mindfulness strategies that can complement existing care and provide additional tools for coping with stress. By providing the intervention at no cost, the project seeks to reduce financial barriers to supportive mental health resources while equipping participants with skills they can continue using independently in their daily lives.