Long-term Projects
Medical Volunteer Trip - Costa Rica (2016)
I led a group of eight UF undergraduate student volunteers on a week-long medical campaign. We volunteered in day care centers, nursing homes, and established a walk-in clinic in a church. I learned to accurately and quickly take vitals, calculate BMI, and discuss general health with native Spanish speakers. This experience opened my eyes to the disparity in health around the world. This trip provoked me to look into how I could get more involved internationally, and gain skills that would allow me to best communicate with and help people from any culture.
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Medical Volunteer Trip - Peru (2017)
This year the group was eleven strong and we traveled to undeserved regions for nine days around Peru. Every day the group evaluated the health of anywhere from 80-200 people. The need for medical attention was alarming. The campaign constantly had a line of people seeking care, and it felt right to be helping them. I took vitals, passed out medication, educated on oral and hand hygiene as well as gynecological health, and helped people inject themselves with a muscle relaxer or insulin. Experiencing new cultures and healing people is truly when I am the happiest. My experiences have inspired a trip to Guatemala in 2018.
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Aiding Alachua's Homeless Population (3 years)
An issue that I immediately noticed in my university's county is homelessness. Grace Marketplace and Project Downtown are two separate organizations that I have volunteered with regularly during my undergraduate years. Both organizations are efforts to provide assistance to the homeless population in Alachua, Gainesville. This is often in the form of shelter, food, comfort, or job acquisition. Interacting with these people over the years, experiencing the gratefulness of someone when you fill their stomach, and talking to them about their lives has made me a more sympathetic and aware of the large population of people who know hungry well.
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Dance Marathon Fundraising (3 years)
This is a yearlong fundraising initiative that culminates into a 26.2 hour event, where dancers stand the entire time to raise awareness and money for the treatment of childhood illnesses. I have had the opportunity to Dance 2 years, and lead a team 1 year. I personally reached out to family and friends for donations, offering tutoring services and embarrassing pictures in exchange for a few dollars donated in my name. The hope and life in the miracle children that I interacted with solidified my intentions to become a pediatrician.
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Alligator Pal Letters 3rd Grade mentoring program
Through Circle K International, a service organization I was active in in high school and freshman year of college, I had a pen pal Fall 2015-Spring 2016. I love interacting with children, so this was one way I tried to do that in the Alachua county community.
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Holiday card crafting for children at Shand's hospital (3 years)
As an event planner for many of the organizations I'm involved in has given me the ability to turn a social gathering into a community event. We decorate cards and go to Shand's Hospital or Ronald McDonald House to pass them out to children who are not able to go exchange valentine's in a normal classroom. This fun craft never fails to put smiles on children's AND club member's faces, it has taught me that small, thoughtful gestures can often mean the most and you're never too old to have fun with glitter. .
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Light the Night Volunteer (2 years)
This is an event to raise awareness for cancer, money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and remember those who we have lost to the fight. I volunteered in several booths, painting the faces of children, serving popcorn and cotton candy, and checking people into the event. I sought work in the a cancer lab because of the emotion I feel at events like this and Relay for Life.
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Medical College Forum Volunteer (2 years)
This event helped me immensely as a premed student, so I went on to be a medical college representative guide for my senior year. I gained valuable advice and information pertaining to different medical school requirements and expectations. I was able to work hand-in-hand with representative from medical schools all around the state, as we educated younger students on howl to best prepare themselves
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