Longmeadow, MA — Bay Path University is proud to announce that the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have awarded Assistant Professor Marie Meckel, MS in Physician Assistant Studies, a Fulbright Specialist Grant.
With this award, Meckel will partner with the Wa West District Health Administration, Ghana Health Service, to launch a cervical cancer screening and prevention initiative. The project is designed to exchange knowledge, foster partnerships, and expand access to preventive health care in underserved communities.
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in low-resource settings, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, more than 3,000 women are diagnosed annually, and nearly 2,000 die—often due to late-stage diagnoses. To address this urgent need, Meckel’s two-week project in October 2025 will feature four community outreach events offering free cervical cancer screenings, HPV vaccinations, and health education to women in remote villages.
Meckel joins more than 400 U.S. citizens each year who share expertise with host institutions abroad through the Fulbright Specialist Program. Specialists are selected for their academic and professional accomplishments, leadership in their fields, and potential to build lasting international collaborations.
The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange initiative, operates in over 160 countries and has supported more than 400,000 scholars, teachers, scientists, and professionals since 1946. Alumni include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as heads of state, who have contributed to advancing solutions to shared global challenges.
For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit eca.state.gov/fulbright or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office at 202-632-6452 or ECA-Press@state.gov.
About Bay Path University
Founded in 1897, Bay Path University serves over 4,500 students through its traditional undergraduate program for women, Bay Path Online offering bachelor’s degrees for women and men, and a range of master’s and doctoral programs. On July 1, 2024, Bay Path acquired Cambridge College, uniting two institutions with a shared mission to provide innovative, career-focused education to students of all backgrounds, including working adults and first-generation learners.
