Heather Wheeler: See how the PHC is impacting her future aspirations and how she is positively impacting her community

How has your experience with the Pittsburgh Health Corps (PHC) thus far helped you with your future aspirations?
Having joined the PHC and accepting a position at my host site, Global Links, I have been given the opportunity to not only understand why improvement of public health is both necessary and important, but have also been given the opportunity to explore the realm of environmental stewardship and conservation, which is the second mission here at Global Links. This curiosity for our environment has inspired me to think about applying to other AmeriCorps programs dealing with conservation issues and has even inspired me to strive for a master’s degree in environmental engineering in the future.
 

What is your most favorite memory with the PHC so far and why?
Joining the PHC and meeting all of the members have both been awesome experiences, in general. When we see each other as a group, I always enjoy reconnecting and sharing stories with one another about what everyone is doing at their sites, during their free times, and their plans for life after AmeriCorps. My favorite moment of this year would have to be our weekend retreat; it was a great way for us to bond, get to know each other, and further deepen our friendship in a more laid-back setting.
 

Is there a new project you have partaken in at your site?
At Global Links, our two missions are improving public health in places lacking adequate access to resources, such as communities in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as environmental stewardship. To strengthen our mission of environmental stewardship, I will be holding a lunch-and-learn presentation for our volunteers, which will include the history of recycling, why we recycle, and most importantly, our recycling tactics as an organization. It will be great to help volunteers learn about the efforts we as an organization take to reduce our carbon footprint and hopefully, these volunteers will take what they have learned from this presentation and practice environmental stewardship in their personal lives.