Dental student recognized with Schweitzer Fellowship for community service
Write up
DMD Advanced Standing student, Yasemin Mumay, is one of five UIC students to receive the 2025-2026 Schweitzer Fellowship— a year-long service-learning program that helps Fellow design and implement innovative projects that address the health needs of underserved Chicago communities.
Mumay has always been passionate about preventive dentistry and serving underserved communities. She says that oral hygiene, though often overlooked, plays a vital role in both overall health and public well-being.
“With just a little effort,” she said. “We can make a big difference in people’s lives. This project isn’t about immediate results; it’s about long-term well-being for individuals and the community.”
Through her Schweitzer Fellowship, Mumay is leading an oral health education project at El Valor, a nonprofit that supports underserved families with lower incomes across Chicago. The organization serves a diverse population, including families with young children, expectant mothers and individuals with disabilities, providing resources that help them live more empowered lives.
Mumay plans to take part in preschool classroom activities using a model of “edutainment,” a playful blend of storytelling, songs, puppets and interactive demonstrations designed to make oral hygiene fun for young children. In addition, she will host events that offer oral hygiene education and nutrition counseling for all family members.
“My goal is to make brushing and healthy habits feel fun and natural,” she said. “This project lived in my heart for years. With this fellowship, I finally have the chance to bring it to life and hopefully make a lasting difference in the community.”
Named in honor of famed humanitarian and Nobel laureate Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program encourages students to become lifelong leaders in service by addressing unmet health needs among divested Chicagoland residents. Each fellow will collaborate with existing community organizations to create a community-based project, dedicating a total of 200 hours of service. Using a broad public health lens, the new Fellows will work to improve community well-being and target the social determinants of health—the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that have a profound impact on health and quality of life.