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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Amber Wilburn, a doctoral student in the Department of Public Health at Oregon State University, has received the 2007-08 Thurgood Marshall Graduate Fellowship.

The fellowship honors the first black American to serve as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. It is a one-year fellowship that provides a stipend of $4,000 plus graduate tuition remission for the 2007-08 academic year.

The recipient of the fellowship is determined by Sally Francis, dean of the graduate school.

Wilburn is originally from Los Angeles. She also received her Master of Public Health degree from OSU.

In her letter of recommendation for Wilburn, Department of Public Health chairwoman Marie Harvey said: “Amber is dedicated to community, diversity, and education. She devotes her time and energy to improving the health and well-being of individuals from disadvantaged groups and communities and is committed to working with and mentoring youth.”

In her own personal statement, Wilburn said she wants to give back to the community.

“My ultimate goal is to become a professor of public health with a concentration in minority and maternal health,” she said. “While studying here (OSU) it became evident that there is a significant lack of African American professors in this area of study.”