Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Career Readiness

Archer Fellowship helps UTSA student prepare for career in public health policy

Archer Fellowship helps UTSA student prepare for career in public health policy

BOLD ADVANTAGE
Spotlight on UTSA’s mission to create career-ready Roadrunners

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 — Public administration graduate student Janet N. Ekezie has been selected for the Graduate Archer Fellowship Program. The program will take Ekezie to Washington, D.C. this summer, where she will get an in-depth look at policymaking, history and advocacy. As a current employee of the San Antonio Area Foundation, she hopes to leverage the fellowship to learn more about public health policy, particularly mental health.

“I am really interested in mental health, particularly how those from underrepresented populations pursue mental health care,” she said. “I am Nigerian American, and people from my background or similar backgrounds may have difficulty pursuing mental health care because of stigma, coupled with difficulties in our current systems of diagnosis.”

Archer Fellows like Ekezie work full-time with offices and organizations in the nation’s capital. Students may choose their internships according to their professional goals and academic interests.


“I’m really looking forward to working with other inspired Fellows motivated to affect change.”



Janet N. Ekezie (left) currently works at the San Antonio Area Foundation.


The Graduate Archer Fellowship Program was established in 2010 by The University of Texas System to enable graduate and medical students who are interested in policy to learn about the federal government and public service in the nation’s capital.

Ekezie earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2018.

When it came time to consider where she wanted to advance her education, Ekezie chose UTSA. She wanted to be closer to her hometown and workplace.

Ekezie enrolled in the Master of Public Administration program at UTSA in fall of 2023 and immediately knew it was the right fit for her. The graduate program is led by academics and practitioners who bring community-relevant research and public-sector experience to the classroom. Students learn policy implementation and how to apply theory to real-life scenarios.

“I really appreciate the organizational theory aspect and how it applies to real-world problems based in my career,” she said. “I also love the cohort that I entered in with. They are very supportive, kind, gracious and inspiring.”

In the coming months, Ekezie will take part in several interviews to determine her fellowship placement, while preparing a policy proposal in her preferred policy research area.

The Graduate Archer program is one of several hands-on learning programs offered by the UT System to help students prepare for successful careers. As part of its Classroom to Career initiative, UTSA aims to have 75% of its undergraduate students participate in some type of experiential learning by the time they graduate.

Ekezie’s fellowship will provide the practical experience that will help her distinguish herself. She is also looking forward to developing her professional and research skills through the Archer program.

“Having a diversity of experience in the group will contribute to better ideas,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to working with other inspired Fellows motivated to affect change.”

Amanda Cerreto



UTSA Today is produced by University Strategic Communications,
the official news source
of The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu.


UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.


Events


Spotlight

Spotlight

spotlight-utsa-uthsa3.png
UTSA & UT Health San Antonio integration

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.