A Schweitzer Fellow's dedication to community and maternal health
Friday, May 2, 2025
Media Contact: Kayley Spielbusch | Digital Communications Specialist | 918-561-5759 | kspielb@okstate.edu
For MacKenzie Toliver, becoming a physician is about providing her future patients with the resources they need to achieve wellness.
Toliver is a second-year medical student at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and a part of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship 2024-25 Tulsa cohort. The fellowship aims to develop graduates who will enter the workforce with the commitment and leadership skills needed to address health needs within underserved populations. Tulsa is one of 13 program sites in the United States.
Growing up in Tulsa, Toliver has sought ways to serve her community from a young age. She is committed to uplifting and improving her community through educational initiatives, mentorship opportunities and public health efforts.
This passion for helping others is what led her to study medicine.
“The ability to practice medicine is a uniquely powerful tool for serving humanity through advocacy and health promotion,” said Toliver.
The Schweitzer Fellowship stood out to her as an opportunity to address health disparities beyond the classroom.
“I was drawn to the program’s commitment to service and sustainability. It enables fellows to create initiatives that don’t just provide a short-term solution, but leave a lasting impact,” Toliver said. “I wanted to build something meaningful and rooted in community needs while also growing as a leader and an advocate.”
Toliver’s project is in partnership with the nonprofit Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative, whose mission is to equip families for healthy births and reduce maternal health disparities, with an emphasis on serving women of color.
OKBEI’s work is deeply personal to Toliver, especially related to maternal health disparities for Black women who often struggle with health care access and finding providers who listen and understand their health needs.
Toliver’s project is a part of OKBEI’s greater NestU programming, which focuses on tools and education for the organization’s doula clients. Topics covered include breastfeeding, nutrition, mental health and postpartum care.
"I was drawn to the program's commitment to service and sustainability. It enables
fellows to create initiatives that don't just provide a short-term solution, but leave
a lasting impact."
Through interactive NestU workshops, Toliver aims to equip women with the knowledge, resources and confidence to navigate pregnancy and beyond.
Recently, she hosted a session on nutrition and the diet changes required of expectant mothers. A chef taught a live course in making hummus from scratch, meal-prep-friendly salads and wraps, and a nutrient-rich dessert. She said several of the session’s participants left asking for detailed recipes to try at home that week.
Toliver is thrilled with the workshops’ development and how relationships with community organizations are strengthening as a result.
“I’ve been able to engage with local leaders and expectant mothers to ensure the program is informative and impactful. Seeing the participants' enthusiasm and eagerness to learn and share their experiences has been incredibly rewarding,” she said.
The project is about more than individual education to her.
“It’s about creating a shift in how maternal health is approached, ensuring that all women — including Black women — feel heard, respected and empowered in their health care journeys,” Toliver said.
The experience has reinforced her belief that caring for patients does not end in the office. As a future physician, she hopes the project will continue to grow and leave a foundation for sustainable maternal health education in Tulsa and beyond.