Application Period
The application period for the 2026-2027 program will open on Friday, August 14, 2026, and close on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Maeve Kennedy McKean Global Health Award
The Maeve Kennedy McKean Global Health Award supports undergraduate students in developing independent, faculty-mentored research projects that address a pressing global health and human rights issue.
Rooted in Catholic and Jesuit values, the award cultivates future global health professionals committed to community-engaged research and social impact. The recipients design their project during their junior year and conduct international fieldwork the summer before their senior year. The award is jointly administered by the Global Health Institute and the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service at Georgetown University.
About Maeve Kennedy McKean
Maeve Kennedy McKean (G/L’09) was the executive director of the Georgetown University Global Health Initiative (now the Georgetown University Global Health Institute) and associate director of the HIV Policy Lab at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law from July 2019 until her death in April 2020.
A public health and human rights lawyer, Kennedy McKean’s work focused on the intersection of global health and human rights. She earned a joint J.D. degree from Georgetown Law and a Master of Science degree in international negotiations and conflict resolution from the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Earlier in her career, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique.
Her legacy lives on through each successive award recipient, whose work reflects her commitment to justice, service, and health equity.
Donations
We are raising funds to expand the number of award recipients, giving more Georgetown students the opportunity to pursue global health research and international fieldwork opportunities.
If you are interested in supporting the award, please contact globalhealth@georgetown.edu or donate using one of the following methods:
- Online: Use the online donation form and add a note in the “Other” field indicating “to support Maeve Kennedy McKean Global Health Award.”
- By mail: Make checks payable to Georgetown University with the note: “to support Maeve Kennedy McKean Global Health Award”. Mail it to Georgetown University, Gift Processing, Department Number 0734, Washington, DC 20073-0734.