Violet Thomas-Cummings, a first-year Master of Public Health student at the Indiana University School of Public Health–Bloomington (SPH-B), has been selected for the 2026–27 William J. Bailey assistantship at Prevention Insights.
Originally from Birdseye, Indiana, Thomas-Cummings is interested in improving health in rural communities, with a focus on nutrition, access to health care, and addiction-related issues. The 10-month assistantship will provide her with financial support and the opportunity to obtain work experience in the field of public health.
Through the assistantship, Thomas-Cummings will work at Prevention Insights with the Indiana Problem Gambling Awareness Program on the Adult Gambling Behaviors in Indiana survey, which examines gambling behaviors, beliefs, perceptions and gambling-related problems among Indiana adults.
"I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Prevention Insights. This assistantship has provided me with invaluable, real-world experiences and knowledge that I will carry throughout my professional career. I am especially thankful that the team at Prevention Insights has encouraged me to pursue my interests in rural health and has listened to my perspectives on the disparities rural communities face in accessing problem gambling treatment," said Thomas-Cummings.
The William J. Bailey assistantship was established posthumously through a gift from William "Bill" Bailey, a former executive director of Prevention Insights, to strengthen the Indiana public health workforce. Available only to Indiana residents, the assistantship supports one student each year who is pursuing a degree at SPH-B (preference given to students pursuing a master’s degree) while providing opportunities to gain practical experience addressing addiction-related public health issues.
Media contact
Jon Agley Executive Director, Prevention Insights Indiana University School of Public Health–Bloomington jagley@iu.edu 812-855-1237