MACON, Ga. — Mercer University sophomore Ellen Jones has been awarded a CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (Lewis Scholars) position at the University of South Dakota Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment this summer.
The CDC’s Office of Health Equity (OHE) partners with seven institutions to deliver the Lewis Scholars Program. Each institution provides an individualized program with focus areas within public health and minority health including maternal and child health, occupational health, social determinants of health and addressing health disparities. Lewis Scholars have a tremendous impact on the field of public health, both during their program and in their careers afterward.
Jones, from Lake Wales, Florida, said it was an honor to be selected for the program.
Dr. Mary W. Mathis, associate professor of practice and the director of the B.S. in Public Health Program in Mercer’s College of Health Professions, is Jones’ academic advisor and wrote her a letter of recommendation for the Lewis Scholars program. She said Jones embodies the spirit of service that the John R. Lewis Scholars program honors.
“From guiding families in medical emergency skills on a beach in Korinthos to many hours with underserved neighbors here at home, she translates scholarship into real-world impact every day,” Dr. Mathis said. “She has an impressive record of research and leadership coupled with humility and warmth that she brings to each new challenge.”
At Mercer, Jones is a Stamps Scholar and in the University Honors Program. She is also vice president of Chapter Wellness for Alpha Gamma Delta, the director of scholarship for Mercer’s Panhellenic Council, in the swim club and serves as a study abroad ambassador.
After graduation, Jones is considering joining the Peace Corps, and she hopes to earn a Master of Public Health and a Ph.D. She aspires to eventually work in the Epidemic Intelligence Service.
About the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (Lewis Scholars) Program
The CDC’s Office of Health Equity (OHE) supports the CDC John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars (Lewis Scholars) Program and the Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases (Ferguson) Graduate Fellowship. These programs provide internship and fellowship opportunities for qualified undergraduate and graduate students to gain meaningful experiences in public health settings.
