For Pitt Public Health senior Melena Mastrostefano, a program she hadn’t heard of a year ago has become one of the most meaningful parts of her undergraduate experience.
Encouraged by her advisor, Kristin Amos-Abanyie, Mastrostefano was recently selected as one of nine students across the University to join the Elsie Hillman Honors Scholars Program, a yearlong initiative through Pitt’s Institute of Politics that engages undergraduates in civic leadership and community partnership.
Each scholar works with a regional organization to address a community need. Mastrostefano, who is majoring in public health and minoring in political science, is partnering with the Birmingham Foundation, a Pittsburgh nonprofit that funds health and social programs in the city’s Hilltop neighborhoods—communities located above the South Side.
Through the foundation, she’s collaborating with the Hilltop Empowerment Collective, which connects families to local resources such as food access, child care and transportation. “It can be confusing for families to know where to go for help,” she said. “The collective brings everything together in one place, and I’m helping develop ideas to make outreach events more interactive and family-friendly.”
The experience has also given her insight into public health funding and community engagement. “I’m learning a lot about grant writing and how the funding process works,” she said. “I’ve had internships in government before, but this is the first time I’m directly seeing the people who are impacted by the work.”
The program includes biweekly seminars focused on civic engagement and project development. In April, Mastrostefano and her cohort will present their work at a campus conference and dinner.
Planning to pursue a Master of Public Health in health policy after graduation, Mastrostefano said the program has been an ideal bridge between coursework and real-world experience. “You earn academic credit, get paid for your work and gain real experience in the community,” she said. “I’ve learned so much already.”
-Clare Collins
