University of Minnesota School of Public Health Assistant Professor Manka Nkimbeng has been named a 2024 Bush Foundation Fellow

The Bush Fellowship program supports accomplished leaders with extraordinary track records who are ready to take their efforts to the next level to create greater impact within and across communities. Every year, the Bush Foundation selects up to 24 Bush Fellows who receive a grant of $100,000 to fund their leadership plan.

Nkimbeng’s work is focused on using research and policy to address health inequities in African immigrant communities. She was raised by her grandparents in Cameroon where access to healthcare was limited. After immigrating to America, she continued to see how  healthcare systems did not work well for everyone. That experience inspired her career in public health, where she developed a dementia education program for African immigrants and implemented public health education for Black immigrants in Minnesota and the diaspora.

According to the Foundation, the program is unstructured and designed for maximum flexibility, which makes it best suited for people who have a clear vision for their leadership trajectory.

The Bush Fellowship will enable Nkimbeng to continue closing equity gaps in healthcare through coalition-building and partnerships with local organizations. Through the fellowship, she also plans to develop an advisory committee for feedback on the research and coalition work.

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About the Bush Foundation
The Bush Foundation is a grantmaking organization that invests in people and ideas in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and 23 Native nations. The foundation’s goal is to inspire and support creative problem solving to improve the region for everyone. The foundation was established in 1953 by 3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife, Edyth, who wanted to build their community and encourage innovation.