
We are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking collaboration with the Department of Anthropology, the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship (ProCES), and the Pace Center’s Service Focus program. Dr. Yolandra Gomez '88 (Jicarilla Apache), a Princeton alumna and pediatrician, works to improve access to health care for mothers and infants on the Jicarilla Apache Nation in Dulce, New Mexico. Dr. Gomez has been an invaluable partner for many years, inspiring students through guest lectures and community-engaged projects and fostering a deeper understanding of the health challenges facing Native American families.
During the 2024-25 academic year, students in the Pace Center's Service Focus Program and the ProCES course MOL 460: Diseases in Children, taught by Dr. Dan Notterman, worked with Dr. Gomez to map health resources, conduct demographic research, and develop a resource map. Students in Spring '25 ANT 240: Medical Anthropology ProCES course, taught by Glenn Shepard and Thalia Gigerenzer, will extend these efforts through their final projects.
This summer, two students will continue and deepen this critical work as Derian Summer Interns through the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship. Under the supervision of Anthropology Professor João Biehl (who visited the Jicarilla Apache Nation last summer) and Service Focus Director Sebastián Ramírez (who recently visited Dulce with ProCES Director Tania Boster), the interns will live and work in both Albuquerque and Dulce. They will work with Dr. Gomez and other health professionals within the Nation to conduct interviews with community members, collaborate with Apache elders to document traditional healing practices, and prepare epidemiological reports in partnership with the Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (AASTEC).
The internship emphasizes hands-on engagement, including assessing maternal nutrition and food traditions and creating high-impact resources such as social media strategies and art installations to improve health communication within the community.
This initiative exemplifies Princeton's commitment to innovative, cross-disciplinary partnerships that drive social impact while providing students with a transformative educational experience. The collaboration serves as a model for how universities can develop responsive, and impactful partnerships with community organizations.
Visit the Derian website for more information about this summer’s internship opportunity. The deadline for students to apply is February 7.

Yolandra Gomez '88 (center) and her family with João Biehl (left) in Dulce, NM, July 2024.

Tania Boster, Yolandra Gomez '88, and Sebastián Ramírez in Dulce, NM, January 2025.