The Center for Diversity in Public Health Leadership Training at Kennedy Krieger Institute offers four programs designed to provide educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate-level students in the fields of public health, maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and developmental disabilities. These leadership opportunities focus on the social determinants of health and addressing health disparities through clinical, research, and community engagement and advocacy activities.

The mission of the Center is to develop diverse scholars and leaders who use culturally relevant, evidence-based, and health equity approaches to inform research, practice, advocacy, and policies that promote optimal child brain development. Our programs are funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Office of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

A large group of Center for Diversity scholars gather for a group photo outside of Kennedy Krieger Institute.

For more information on the Center for Diversity and our public health leadership training programs, please see our detailed PowerPoint presentation here.

Please Note:

The 2025 Center for Diversity application process for all programs (MCH-LEARN, MCHC/RISE-UP, Ferguson RISE & EMURG) will be launched on October 7, 2024. Center for Diversity programs may be in-person, hybrid, or virtual

Our innovative and “real world” experiential training programs include:

Undergraduate Fellowship Program Opportunities 

Maternal Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives For Student Enhancement (MCHC/RISE-UP) Program — Summer

MCHC-/RISE-UP scholars gather for a photo outside of Kennedy Krieger Institute.


Maternal and Child Health-Leadership Education, Advocacy, And Research Network (MCH-LEARN) —  Year Round

MCH-LEARN scholars gather outside of Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Graduate Programs

Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Initiatives For Student Enhancement (RISE) Fellowship

Ferguson RISE scholars gather outside of Kennedy Krieger Institute.

 

Excellence in Mentorship of UnderRepresented Groups (EMURG) for Health Equity Leaders Fellowship Program

EMURG scholars gather outside of Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Program Infographics:

Learn more about the makeup of our training program classes through these informative infographics. 

Center for Diversity in Public Health Leadership Training at Kennedy Krieger Institute Undergraduate Program infographic. The graphic includes information on the number of accepted trainees, where they're from in the United States, whether they are first-generation, Pell grant recipients, have published abstracts or publications, and whether they are Fulbright Scholars. The graphic includes with a breakdown of education information.

 

Center for Diversity in Public Health Leadership Training at Kennedy Krieger Institute Graduate Program infographic. The graphic includes information on the number of accepted trainees, where they're from in the United States, whether they are first-generation, Pell grant recipients, have published abstracts or publications, and whether they are Fulbright Scholars. The graphic includes with a breakdown of education information.