In 2009, UVa's Center for Global Health and the Healthy Appalachia Institute (HAI) at University of Virginia's College at Wise joined in establishing the Healthy Appalachia Institute Global Health Scholar Award. The award is funded and administered by the Healthy Appalachia Institute Chair's office and all initial inquiries should be directed there.

The Healthy Appalachia Institute is a collaboration between critical thinkers, scholars, system planners and leaders at UVa-Wise, the University of Virginia, the Southwest Virginia Graduate Medical Education Consortium, the Southwest Virginia Health Authority and key partners in government, education, business and healthcare. Principal supporters include the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Virginia Tobacco Commission.

In 2010, HAI Global Health scholar Spencer Adams, Jr. worked in South Africa for 6 weeks as part of the Malnutrition and Enteric Disease (MAL-ED) project in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The MAL-ED study is a multi-faceted study being conducted at eight international sites. It is funded by an award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). He was mentored by faculty from the University of Virginia and the University of Venda, South Africa. Please see the slideshow of images and a brief summary of the work.

In 2009, scholar Rachel Belcher was the initial Healthy Appalachia Institute Global Health Scholar.