In my second year at OSU, I was elected Service Chair of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, or M.A.P.S. This organization aims to better prepare minority students for the competitive process of applying to medical school. We accomplish this by providing opportunities for leadership, professional development, networking, service, as well as MCAT test preparation. This organization is important to the OSU community because it helps increase the amount of minority students pursing medicine. Minorities in the medical field are a necessity in addressing factors such as disparities in health.

As the Service Chair, it is my responsibility to get the general body more involved in the service opportunities MAPS offers so that they may make themselves more competitive among other pre-medical students. In the spring 2020, M.A.P.S. initiated a service partnership with the Columbus Free Clinic in which, as the Service Chair, I was the first M.A.P.S. member to participate in. As a volunteer for the Columbus Free Clinic, I provide Columbus community members who do not have access to or cannot afford healthcare. This partnership will in the futures help M.A.P.S. members in gaining healthcare related volunteer hours, potential shadowing hours, and connections with healthcare professionals. With my experience in the clinic, I have become an advocate for more M.A.P.S. members to get involved especially because representation within the clinic matters, as many of its patients are minorities. 

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, is historically the first black sorority. It was founded on January 15th, 1908 on the campus of Howard University. Since then, Alpha Kappa Alpha has chartered 1,024 chapters across the world. Theta Chapter, chartered on February 2nd, 1921 on the campus of The Ohio State University, was the 8th chapter of this organization.

AKA is a service-oriented organization and has allowed me to give back to the greater Columbus community. Being a member of Theta Chapter has encouraged to think more about well-being of my community. Throughout the school year, Theta Chapter primarily serves the Columbus community through drives, such as clothing drives, shoe drives or school supply drives. However, we do also programming for specific causes. This year, we raised money for the Flint Water Crisis, the AKA Historically Black Colleges and universities fund, as well as the Columbus Refugee Relief Fund.

However, what I value the most of my experiences from AKA is the incredible sisterhood that I have found. Not only did I enter the organization with an inspiration group of young women who motivate me to become a better version of myself, but I also get to network with the women who have come before me in the organization. This allows for opportunities for mentorship and professional development.