My Volunteer Experience at ETSS

Through my ESHESA 2571 class, I had the opportunity to volunteer with ETSS, an organization that helps the refugee community in Columbus. At my specific location, I was able to tutor some adults from places like Syria, Somalia, and Kenya in English. At first I was nervous to volunteer because I thought that it would be hard to communicate and form bonds with the language barrier, but I soon learned that was not the case. I became friends with several of the clients there and had so much fun going every week. I’ve had experiences with the refugee community in my hometown, so it was cool to compare the two. I love learning about different cultures and languages, and ultimately I want to serve communities of people from various countries, both in and outside of the US, who don’t have adequate access to health care, so volunteering was a good starting experience affirming what I want to do in life. At the end of my time volunteering, they threw us a surprise party, which is pictured here! Everyone brought in amazing food from their home countries and brought us a cake, it was such a fun experience! I will always remember the time I spent volunteering there, and I hope I get to continue eventually!

G.O.A.L.S.

Here is how I’ve been satisfying each of the University’s GOALS:

Global Awareness:
I hope to become more of a global leader by studying abroad for a semester. I would love to go to Spain to solidify my Spanish-speaking abilities and become fluent. Afterwards, I would love to travel around Europe to learn more about its history as well. I’d like to continue my service with the refugee community in Columbus in order to learn more about their culture and the problems they face coming to the US, and help to ease their transition.

Original Inquiry:
I have not yet looked much into research, but I am hoping to get a position as a research assistant over the summer to advance my understanding and experience in the medical field.

Academic Enrichment:
In addition to my declared major (Health Sciences), I decided to add a Global Public Health minor to my studies so that I can increase my global awareness and learn more about health in other parts of the country.

Leadership Development:
I have taken several leadership opportunities in my extracurriculars, including being a co-chair for the Leadership Training Committee for my scholars program, and assisting in several projects in the Undergraduate Student Government. Through these experiences and several more I am hoping to accomplish in the future, I am learning how to be a more effective leader.

Service Engagement:
I am currently volunteering at ETSS and the James Cancer Center, both of which are helping me get connected with various communities and learn about issues and opportunities around Columbus.