The Cancer Health Disparities Curriculum for
​Research and Community Scholars

Applications are now open for the 
​​2025-2026 Cohort. 

​Click here to apply for our next cohort, applications will close on August 22nd, 2025!
Click here for more information and to download our flyer. 
Thank you to our previous co-leaders Dr. Carol Williams and Rev. Dr. Deborah Thomas for their leadership throughout the last four years of the program! Our team is sad to see them go, but excited to welcome Dr. Nikki Lytle and Simona Johnson, BSN, MBA
as our new co-leaders for cohort 5! 
The Research and Community Scholars Program creates a space for fair and trusting relationships to develop between community members in Metro-Milwaukee and biomedical researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Diverse perspectives can create innovative solutions to complex problems, such as cancer and differences in cancer outcomes. However, we know that misunderstanding and mistrust are frequent barriers to effective community and academic partnerships. ​This is why CCSN created The Cancer Health Disparities Curriculum for Research and Community Scholars (known as Research and Community Scholars program). 

The program meets on a bi-weekly basis on Wednesdays from September to May in a hybrid format.  In this program, research and community scholars participate together in a curriculum focused on understanding cancer, factors influencing outcomes, communicating with different audiences, understanding new perspectives, and building equitable partnerships. 
The curriculum includes:
  • Sessions are facilitated by research and community experts
  • Content rich lectures
  • Small and large group discussions
  • Personal exploration and reflection
  • Opportunities to apply learning through team assignments and projects
  • Sessions hosted at various Milwaukee organizations
Curriculum content will build foundational knowledge on:
  • Research and research protections
  • The cancer care continuum
  • Impacts of biomedical research on health and quality of life
  • Social and environmental factors impacting health outcomes
  • Differences in cancer outcomes
  • Approaches to build successful biomedical and community research partnerships
  • Communication of cancer science with different audiences
Who are our scholars? 

People who are curious problem solvers with an interest in improving cancer outcomes. 

Community Scholars: 
  • Metro-Milwaukee community-based organizations
  • Actively involved with the community network to share their learnings
Research Scholars:
  • Investigators including graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, MD/PhD students, clinical fellows, or assistant and associate professors from the Medical College of Wisconsin
  • Demonstrate interest in incorporating community perspectives into their research​​​​ 

​Research and Community Scholars Leadership

 Nikki Lytle, PhD
Academic Co-Leader 
​​
​​Assistant Professor
​Department of Surgery
​Medical College of Wisconsin
Simona Johnson, BSN, MBA
Community Co-Leader

​Founder & Strategist at: 
The Synergy Company
Jayme Ewens, MPH 
​Program Coordinator 

Community and Cancer Science Network
​Medical College of Wisconsin
For more information on The Research and Community Scholars program, please email [email protected] or [email protected] 
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