Babita Bhetwal, a graduate student in the Master of Public Health program, was awarded the AAUW International Fellowship for Women, which supports women pursuing full-time graduate or post-doctoral study and are not full-time U.S. citizens.
The $20,000 fellowship will cover Bhetwal’s living expenses and tuition and fund her research. She will complete her study titled “Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes,” examining cervical cancer, screening and vaccination against human papillomavirus among Nepalese Tamang women residing in Nuwakot, Nepal.
“The study design is cross-sectional,” Bhetwal said. “Through this research, I aim to impact the lives of women who have experienced health disparities.”
While Bhetwal pursued this fellowship, Boise State’s School of Public and Population Health faculty worked with her to provide invaluable guidance and encouragement.
“I am thankful for each of them and will be forever thankful to them,” she said. “To be specific, I am thankful to Dr. Reina-Ortiz, Dr. Sharma and Dr. Schafer for providing their support and guidance during my application process.”
According to Bhetwal, the Master of Public Health program offers “diverse learning opportunities, engaging course content with a lot of focus on practical experiences, and the opportunity to network with faculty and the industry.”