“While we’re living through pandemics, living in historic times, what matters next is how we will intervene.”
Diana Aguilera, a graduate student studying Public Policy, is one of the two 2020 Knapp Fellow winners. In addition to being a Knapp Fellow, Diana is a recipient of the 2020 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI U) and an awardee of the Clinton Foundation’s COVID-19 Student Action Fund. By putting her Knapp Fellowship into a conversation with her other ongoing initiatives, Diana demonstrates her commitment to advance discussions that confront healthcare barriers before and during COVID-19.
“I hope to lead discussions that address mental health in immigrant communities in a more organic way.”
Diana applied to the Clinton Foundation to discuss women and girls’ mental health after their immigration to the United States. To learn more about Diana’s project and meet the other members of her cohort, please click here. While Diana will continue discussions that aim to destigmatize mental health, with the Knapp Fellowship, Diana will also organize and lead discussions that address the inaccessible features of telemedicine.
“After receiving more than 1,400 applications for the COVID-19 Student Action Fund, CGI U is pleased to announce the 38 recipients of this award, representing 12 countries and 29 institutions of higher learning” (“CGI U’s COVID-19 Student Action Fund”). Diana is one of the 38 recipients.
After comparing her personal experience at a telemedicine appointment with one of her relatives’, Diana applied for the Knapp Fellowship to make telemedicine more accessible and understandable to community members who face telemedicine and healthcare barriers. With the Knapp Fellowship and the Clinton Foundation COVID-19 Student Action Fund award, Diana’s two projects remain closely intertwined as she “aims to improve COVID-19 health care services and policies for migrant populations in Washington, DC.” To learn more about Diana’s award, please click here.
“Access to healthcare is a human right.”
Through the use of qualitative methods, Diana’s Knapp Fellowship will focus on patients’ experiences at La Clinica del Pueblo, a community health center in Washington, DC. By learning about “how many times patients have had telemedicine visits,” how “the quality of their virtual visits compares to their in-person visits,” how “patients have adapted to telemedicine appointments and their platform”, and how “they’re coping with changes brought on by the pandemic,” Diana will use her findings “to improve telemedicine accessibility” and “to help the community obtain better resources after COVID-19.”
“I want to advocate for communities, teach community members how to use technology, implement more educational workshops, and continue to focus on telemedicine and healthcare legislation in congress.”
While Diana’s research for the Knapp Fellowship focuses on a particular community clinic, she believes that, in general, we should “focus on small clinics that are helping community members.” After completing her study, Diana hopes to “share her research findings with other smaller community clinics.” Diana notes, “not everyone goes to the hospital; clinics have limited resources and a greater volume.” In terms of legislation, “ensuring provider care” remains on the forefront of Diana’s mind as she pursues her Master degree in Public Policy with a focus on immigration policy.
“I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Knapp for their dedication to public service and for their facilitation of such an amazing program.”
Diana notes, “many students at GW want to help different communities either in the U.S or abroad, but we don't have the means to do so.” Diana “believes that the Knapp Fellowship is such an amazing program that allows us to engage in service-learning projects.”
Diana’s advice to students: “If you are passionate about a project and have no idea where to begin, start applying for fellowships and community service opportunities. Don't let your doubt or insecurities undermine your drive to help a community or weaken your focus on an issue.”
Applications for Knapp Fellowship next year are open. To learn more about the application, please click here.
