Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age Fellowship
An interdisciplinary research fellowship for students and emerging professionals ready to move from studying systems to shaping them. Our fellows conduct original policy research, engage with community partners, and present their findings on a national stage.
Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age Fellowship
This academic year-long fellowship brings together an interdisciplinary cohort of students studying social work, public health, public policy, communications, and medicine to investigate the intersection of mental health, artificial intelligence, and public policy.
Fellows work collaboratively to conduct original policy research, engage with community stakeholders, build professional networks, and develop the policy literacy and research skills needed to lead at the systems level.
The cohort’s findings will be presented at the MISPA Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age Convening in Washington, D.C. in Spring 2027 — giving fellows a national stage to share their work with policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders.
Applications are currently closed
The 2026–2027 cohort is underway. Applications for the next fellowship cohort will reopen in Spring 2027.
- Conduct original, interdisciplinary policy research over a full academic year
- Engage with community stakeholders and frontline practitioners
- Receive cohort-based mentorship from emerging professionals across disciplines
- Present finalized research at the MISPA DC Convening in Spring 2027
- Build a professional network across social work, public health, policy, and medicine
Welcome the 2026 Fellows of the Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age Fellowship
Hover or tap each card to learn more about each fellow.
Lindsay Smith
A 2026–2027 fellow of the Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age cohort
Kai Sharpless
A 2026–2027 fellow of the Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age cohort.
Shrihaan Chaudhary
A 2026–2027 fellow of the Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age cohort
Mudia Ighile
A 2026–2027 fellow of the Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age cohort
Winifred Chijioke
A 2026–2027 fellow of the Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age cohort.
Hover or tap a card to flip and read each fellow’s overview.
Where the Fellows Will Present
The cohort’s research culminates in two public-facing events where fellows will share their findings, engage with stakeholders, and contribute to a national policy conversation.
MISPA Macro Forum: DC
A smaller-scale community conversation opening the dialogue around mental health, policy, and AI. Free and open to all at MLK Library in Washington, D.C.
View Event DetailsMISPA Mental Health & Policy in the Digital Age — Washington, D.C. Educational Convening
The flagship convening where all five fellows present their finalized year-long research to policymakers, practitioners, and community stakeholders.
Learn More & RegisterMeet the Mentors
Our fellows are guided by a dedicated group of mentors who bring interdisciplinary expertise and professional experience to support their research and development throughout the academic year. Mentor profiles coming soon.
Afua Laast
Swati Ramnath
Dr. Marina A. Badillo-Diaz, LCSW
2025–2026 Inaugural Cohort
Our inaugural fellowship cohort investigated Underfunded and Underprotected—a year-long, interdisciplinary research project examining how chronic disinvestment shapes food security, public health, and racial equity in Upstate New York and Maryland. This work was completed as part of the Carnegie Young Fellows Leadership Program, sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and hosted by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.
The 2025–2026 fellows interviewed grassroots leaders, connecting communities to resources, and developing upstream policy recommendations targeting root causes of food insecurity and health inequity.
Their finalized research is available for download below.
Download Research ReportImpact Beyond the Classroom
The strategic frameworks developed by this inaugural class serve as the ongoing foundational paradigm for community outreach initiatives across systemic state-wide public programs.
Meet the Alumni Fellows
View the research minds behind the inaugural cohort project.
Sponsor a Fellow
Empower the next generation of systems-level leaders. Your investment directly supports student research stipends, travel funding to the D.C. Convening, and resource distribution for field investigations.
Direct Stipend Support
Ensures research opportunities are accessible to interdisciplinary students from all financial backgrounds.
Convening Presence
Enables students to present directly to institutional figures, breaking barriers to active policy conversation channels.