In recognition of William H. Foege’s vast contributions to public health and to Rollins—where he is the Presidential Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Health—the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation established the William H. Foege Global Health Fellowship Program. The fellowship assists mid-career public health professionals interested in pursuing public health careers by providing them with training at Rollins.

Foege is an internationally renowned physician, epidemiologist, and author who contributed to the eradication of smallpox. He has held a number of prestigious public health roles, including director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, founder of the Task Force for Global Health, and executive director of The Carter Center.

Foege fellows pursue an academic program at Rollins and receive full tuition and fees for the duration of their enrollment. Foege fellows typically pursue the MPH degree in either the traditional two-year program or the 12-month accelerated program. Eligible nominees must meet the criteria for admissions to the MPH program at Rollins, including proficiency in written and oral English language. The fellowship will consider candidates for doctoral study if they are admitted to the PhD program at the Laney Graduate School through the separate admissions process administered by Laney.

The Foege Fellowship features a closed nomination process. The Foege Fellowship partners with five Atlanta-based public health organizations that Foege served during his distinguished career to provide each fellow with a robust professional network and mentorship program. Nominations must be submitted by the founding partners, and each organization has the opportunity to nominate up to five candidates.