Frank Douglas is an award-winning and longtime veteran in the field of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Douglas graduated from Lehigh University in 1966 with a bachelor's in Engineering. (Courtesy of Frank Douglas)
The College of Health (COH) has selected three recipients for the Dr. Frank Douglas ’66 Endowed Scholarship Fund: Afia Arhin ’27, Lara Parada-Tixe ’27 and Raimundo Ruiz ’28. This fellowship provides financial support for students who are pursuing a master’s degree through the COH’s 4+1 Accelerated Master’s Program, which allows undergraduates to earn both their bachelor’s degree and Master of Public Health (MPH) in five years.
The Frank Douglas Scholarship honors Dr. Frank L. Douglas, an award-winning and long-time veteran in the field of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. In particular, the fellowship supports students from Lehigh’s Rapidly Accelerated Research Experience (RARE) program and those from underrepresented groups, helping to expand access to graduate education and foster a more diverse student body.
Ruiz, who began taking courses for the 4+1 last summer, is a double major in psychology and Latin American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). He was drawn to the program for its accessibility and the opportunity to begin graduate coursework aligned with his career goals in health education, while still completing his bachelor’s degree.
“It was incredibly meaningful to me to receive the Douglas scholarship, especially as a first-generation college student,” he said. “I was not sure I’d be able to afford to pursue a graduate degree, and this fellowship has given me the opportunity to not only finish my Master’s in Public Health, through the 4+1 program, but also expand my research in sexual and reproductive health.”
Ruiz has already taken a graduate-level course in health education, where he helped co-create a health promotion campaign based on the needs of different populations. He is also pursuing research and community involvement opportunities. This summer, he plans to intern with HealthRight International in New York City and Nairobi, Kenya. The organization is dedicated to making public health resources accessible to marginalized communities.
Parada-Tixe is a double major in Health, Medicine and Society, an interdisciplinary program administered by the COH and CAS, as well as molecular and cellular biology in the CAS. She is especially interested in developing the critical thinking skills needed to address real-world public health challenges, and hopes to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations through preventative care and increase representation of Latinas in healthcare professions.
As a student in the RARE program, Parada-Tixe has explored research opportunities at Lehigh, including work in the lab of Dylan Shropshire, assistant professor, department of biological sciences in the CAS. Shopshire’s research on insect-microbe interactions has shaped her aspirations for a future career in research. She also worked with Michael Gusmano, professor of health policy and the inaugural Iacocca Chair, on research at the COH during the summer of 2025.
“As a first-generation college student of Hispanic descent, it has been a blessing to have the opportunity to pursue higher education with the support of the Douglas scholarship,” she said. “Being able to focus on my education and work toward my career goals of being a medical and public health professional, without constantly worrying about how I will fund my journey, is what makes this scholarship so meaningful to me.”
For Arhin, a population health major, the Douglas fellowship makes her academic goal of pursuing the MPH degree attainable. She plans to continue her education with a DrPH and pursue a career in research medicine as a global epidemiologist. The fellowship covers tuition and provides two summer stipends to support research.
She is particularly interested in maternal and child health in underrepresented populations in the United States and abroad. At the College of Health, she worked with Fathima Wakeel, associate professor in the department of population health, on the Allentown Black Equity Project. This project is focused on ensuring that the Black population in Allentown is accessing healthcare in a beneficial way.
“I do think the scholarship opens doors for me. Had I entered the MPH program without the fellowship, I would feel like I’m starting from the ground up, but the scholarship does give me a boost in terms of a professional network. People recognize your Douglas Fellowship as a badge of honor, and it goes to show how far you’re willing to go in your master’s degree,” she said.
Beyond financial support, the Douglas Fellowship reflects the COH’s commitment to hands-on, community-engaged research. By working alongside faculty, students contribute to projects that address real-world challenges in health equity and gain valuable research experience to advance their own careers in public health.
