The Patient Advocacy Initiative offers students a variety of immersive experiences working with rare disease patients, families, and the organizations that serve them.
Through the Schumacher Advocacy Exchange Program (formerly the Summer Immersion Program), funded by Ms. Laura Schumacher, students receive a summer stipend to work full-time with a patient advocacy organization. The Initiative provides the funding, while host sites lead day-to-day mentorship and engagement—most often in a remote format. Additional travel support may be available for conference or event participation.
Each fall, the Initiative accepts applications from both host organizations and students. Matches are made based on student interests, skills, and academic background, as well as the host organization’s projects and mentoring capacity to ensure a meaningful, mutual exchange.
"We are an all-volunteer organization. Everyone gives their time and talent because we want to move the science towards a cure for LHON and support the LHON Community along the way. Because we are an all-volunteer organization, we are stretched too thin constantly. With the support of [our intern] that we were so lucky to have been paired with, exponentially more was accomplished and we are well poised to continue, from a greater position of success and accomplishment, the initiatives she was engaged in.“ -Malinda, Co-Founder of LHON Collective
Notification Date: No later than December 18, 2025
Exchange Program: Approximately May 26 – August 1, 2026 (10 weeks, full-time). Dates can vary slightly depending on specific needs of organization, supervisor, and/or student.
