Niamh Schumacher
Niamh Schumacher, a December 2021 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been awarded the Erasmus Mundus scholarship. The multidisciplinary scholarship selects highly qualified students to complete jointly administered master’s programs at esteemed European universities.
Stewarded in European Union member countries, the fully funded master’s program incorporates study at three prestigious institutions from three countries across Europe. Students engage in cross-cultural study as they conduct high-level research and internships on the path to becoming the next leaders of an interconnected world. Schumacher sought the guidance of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships as she embarked on the scholarship application process.
“Through work at the University of Tennessee and beyond, Niamh has woven a clear path forward that illustrates what it means to be a Volunteer inside and outside Tennessee,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of undergraduate research and fellowships. “The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is well earned, and it recognizes Niamh’s commitment to the greater good.”
Schumacher, from Seymour, Tennessee, earned her bachelor’s degree in food science from the Herbert College of Agriculture. From her time as an undergraduate to her professional career, Schumacher has demonstrated a steadfast dedication to addressing food insecurity. At UT, she engaged in undergraduate research and internal service opportunities. In recognition of her commitment to addressing global hunger and food insecurity, Schumacher was selected as a recipient of the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship, a program founded to train student leaders to develop the tools and skills necessary to actively combat hunger issues at the field and policy level. She currently works in nutrition education and outreach at Fresno Metro Ministry in California.
In 2019, Schumacher completed an internship with the Feed the Future Tworere Inkoko, Twunguke project through the Smith Center in Musanze, Rwanda. Working alongside Rwandan farmers, she delivered nutrition education and conducted research on dietary patterns and food security. The experience deepened her commitment to addressing global food insecurity and improving health outcomes in vulnerable communities. Schumacher returned to Rwanda in 2022 as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant where she worked with primary school students in Kigali and continued engaging with community development and global health.
“My degree in food science made me really interested in how nutrition and food systems impact health,” said Schumacher. “My experience in nutrition and community health in the U.S. and Rwanda through the Fulbright Program deepened that interest and shaped my passion for addressing food insecurity in vulnerable populations. I’m so excited for this opportunity to study across Europe and pursue a career in global health and humanitarian response.”
Over the next two years, Schumacher will attend universities in Spain, Sweden, and Cyprus as she pursues a master’s in public health in disasters. Excited to start the next step towards a career in global health and humanitarian response, she is grateful for the support and encouragement she has received from the university community.