The Art of Communication

Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson once said, “No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.” Through his engaging interviews with mainstream media outlets, Tyson inspired many people to develop curiosity and interest in science by communicating in ways that were consumable for a broad audience. He encouraged viewers to question the world around them. By being a masterful communicator, Tyson piqued an interest in many crowds that may not have otherwise found any interest in astrophysics.

As National Health Corps (NHC) members, we are given the opportunity to inspire interests in others by using our communication skills, just like Neil Degrasse Tyson. One of the many ways that we create interest is through our communication committee. The Communications Committee (endearingly referred to as “Comm Comm”) provides outreach. Our outreach spans from creating brochures to garnering a social media presence. The goal of this outreach is to bring attention to the NHC program and showcase to the general public the impact of what we do. I chose to join the Communications Committee because I knew that communication was one of my weaknesses. So, the Comm Comm offered me a chance to refine my skills in a professional setting.

At first glance, it may seem like a daunting task to bring public interest to a program, but NHC members have many pillars of support. Through the NHC staff, my fellow team members, and my mentor, we learned to convey the passion that we have for our service in various mediums such as blogs and photos. The NHC team encouraged us to practice our communication skills with each other, and thus we developed the skills to communicate with a wider host of audiences.

When we’re serving with organizations in our community and making new connections, it has been easy for us as NHC members to explain what the NHC program is. At this point in the year, we have become so accustomed to our positions that we can describe them succinctly. Often times we find that we have inspired others to consider joining the National Health Corps program or related AmeriCorps programs. By having our social media presence, we provide an avenue for these potential members to see what we as NHC members do.

Ultimately, communication is an art form. Like all art, it requires an understanding of audience and a desire to create. I am incredibly happy to be able to have gained some communication skills through this experience, and I hope to continue to grow in this art.

This post was written by NPHC member Brandon Neal.

Brandon serves at Squirrel Hill Health Center as a Patient Navigator.