PhD, MPH, MBA

Associate Professor

Faculty, Health and Rehabilitation Science

Current position

• Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences
• Associate Professor, Master of Public Health Program

Educational background

• Ph.D. – Development Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007
• M.B.A. – International Business, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2015
• M.P.H. – Health Promotion and Policy, University of Missouri, 2012
• M.S. – Economics, University of Zimbabwe, 1992
• B.S. – Economics, University of Zimbabwe, 1990

Classes taught

• P_HLTH 7610 Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Global Health
• HLTH_SCI 3400 Global Health Care Systems
• HLTH_SCI 4450 Health and Community Development
• HLTH_SCI 4985 Healthcare Organization and Leadership

Research interests

• Community leadership development
• Community engagement
• Community health promotion

My overarching research goal is to explore, identify and implement place-based approaches to health and well-being of those living in resource-limited communities. One longstanding community development challenge is to transform resource-limited areas into sustainable and resilient communities. Unfortunately, the history of community health efforts in impoverished and rural areas has largely been a tale of short-term, top-down, funded projects that disappear when the grant ends, leaving communities jaded and once again underserved. I work to create sustainable, real-world community health initiatives that live on after grants end because they are derived from and driven by the community members themselves. My work closes knowledge and practice gaps using a socioecological approach to multi-level individual, family and place-based factors affecting health and well-being. The interdisciplinary nexus of community leadership development, community engagement, and health promotion is the center of my work.

Active grants

National Research Foundation (South Africa) – Competitive Support for Unrated Researchers Knowledge Advancement and Support, ZAR450,000

Project Title: Intervention to support HIV self-management among youth living in rural area in SA.

Role: Co-Investigator; Dr. Modeste is Lead PI (Stellenbosch University, SA).

Selected publications

• David I., Lembani M., Tefera G.M., & Majee W. (2024). COVID-19 and migrant mental health: A qualitative study of Malawian immigrants living in South Africa. Health & Social Care in the Community, 11 pages, https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/3417537
• Majee W., & Wegner L. (2023). “We must sit like this and discuss”: Introducing Needs Ranking as an innovative qualitative methodology for engaging disengaged youth. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231202206
• Majee W, Anakwe A, Onyeaka K, & Harvey, I.S. (2022). The past is so present: Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among African American adults using Qualitative data. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities,1-13 Online ahead of print. DOI:10.1007/s40615-022-01236-3
• David I., Kehinde S., Onyeaka K., Tefera G, Harvey S.I., & Majee W. (2022). COVID-19 and higher education: A qualitative study on the experiences of African international students in the Midwest. Applied Research in Quality of Life.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-022-10095-3
• Anakwe, A. Majee, W., Noel-London, K., Zachary I, & BeLue, R. (2021). Sink or swim: Virtual life challenges among African American families during COVID-19 lockdown. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18(8), 4290; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084290

Awards

• 2024 Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship (South Africa)
• 2024 The Community Development Society Ted K. Bradshaw Outstanding Research Award.
• 2023 Fulbright Scholarship 2022- 2023 (South Africa)
• 2023 MU Provost’s Award – Leadership in International Education
• 2020 MU International Engagement Award – Outstanding Faculty Contribution

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