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Position Title: Community Health and Prevention Coordinator

Where are you from? 

Runnemede, NJ

Why did you join NHC Pittsburgh?

As an undergrad at Rider University, I participated in a service program similar to Americorps/National Health Corps. I served as a Bonner Community Scholar. The Bonner Program allowed me to immerse myself in service in the local community. I served with local food pantries, tutoring centers, and other nonprofit organizations in Trenton, NJ. I also served at our on-campus pantry for students where I gave input from a student perspective to make improvements. Bonner had trained me in leadership development and raised my awareness of multiple principles, such as social justice and civic engagement.

I have always wanted to pursue medical school, however, I did not feel fully prepared for that journey, so I started searching for other opportunities. My Bonner director has held multiple meetings to learn more about Americorps and their programs. Some of our alumni had served with Americorps after graduation. I have always had a passion for service, so I decided to look into it. That's when I found the National Health Corps. I became so excited because it was a way to continue serving similarly to Bonner, but related more to my interests in health.

I joined the National Health Corps because I feel that it is a wonderful learning experience that allows me to discover more about what the world of health has to offer. I want to learn more about how public and community health can relate to medicine and utilize the knowledge I gain from my experience in the future.

What do you hope to gain or learn during your service term?    

While serving with the National Health Corps, I hope to learn more about public health and gain live experiences from it. I am excited to have a hands-on opportunity where I can witness how my service site strives to improve community health. I hope it allows me to develop more attributes and become more self-assured and motivated in my future goals to work in health. I want to be able to utilize what I learn from NHC when I go back to school and in my future career. I hope that my term will allow me to strengthen my interest in health and a better understanding of public health. I am excited that at my site I can learn more about both public health and clinical health and how they intertwine. I also hope to learn how to create effective solutions to barriers in health and become confident in my endeavors for change. I also hope to gain lasting connections that allow for an opportunity to learn and grow.

What are you most looking forward to during your service term?            

I am so excited to serve in Pittsburgh! My hometown is over 5 hours away, so I am looking forward to becoming more independent and stepping out of my comfort zone. I hope to have meaningful interactions to incorporate and share anywhere I go. I also am so excited that my site has a wide range of opportunities to serve. It is so refreshing to hear how each day, my service can hold something new and exciting. I am especially excited for more hands-on and direct service experiences; however, I am intrigued on how all types of service efforts will connect in the community. I am also looking forward to making new connections and being able to serve around people with similar interests. I look forward to sharing my experience with others and gaining a new perspective on public health.