By Shellie Peterson
Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs is excited to announce that Casey Lynn Crow has been selected to receive a scholarship in the amount of $30,000 to continue her education toward a Ph.D. in public health and policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Crow holds a bachelor’s in political science and global studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s in international development and humanitarian emergencies from the London School of Economics. As a second-year doctoral student, her research explores access to sexual and reproductive health care in humanitarian crises, particularly for refugees and people with disabilities.
Apart from her research, Crow is a dancer, choreographer and local business owner and is passionate about merging art and activism. Having worked with refugees in Kenya, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico and Greece, she has witnessed the transformational power of the arts to improve mental health and promote hope, healing and connection for survivors of trauma.
Crow founded Beyond Words International in 2018 with the hope of collaborating with artists, therapists and those serving in their communities to increase opportunities for healing, empowerment and positive expression.
Crow was endorsed to the Rotary District 5470 by the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Hampstead. The award has been approved for funding by The Rotary Foundation. Rotary looks forward to encouraging Crow and watching her continue to pursue her passions.
When Crow was notified about being awarded this scholarship, she said, “I am unspeakably honored and grateful to be chosen as a Rotary Global Grant Scholar. This award will allow me to continue my studies and conduct my fieldwork in the largest refugee camp in the world, Bidi Bidi Camp in Uganda, next year. I am thrilled to represent Rotary as I continue my research and do my best to make a difference in the world. Special thanks to the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs for their incredible encouragement and support!”
