In a few weeks, I will be packing up my life – putting away my
clothes, my pictures, my home, in storage boxes and driving down to Baltimore
for college. I will begin my freshman year of college at Johns
Hopkins University – my dream college ever since I was in third grade. As I
prepare for the next chapter of my life, I find myself reflecting on the past
four years of my life, my time in high school and everything I did to get to
this point. My family will be quick to remind me that admittance into my
dream college is due to my own perspiration, however, I know that luck had a
hand in this as well.
It was luck that Debbie Emery, Director of Community Volunteer Services, introduced me to the prevailing
issue of homelessness in Bergen County. Her influence sparked my interest in
studying homelessness and imagining programs to ameliorate the issue. It was
luck that Debbie, then, took me under her wing and introduced me to her Bergen
Volunteer Center family. My internship with the BVC was, honestly, the
springboard that allowed me to jump into my future. Through my internship, I
learned so much about my community – everything from its people to its
organizations – and created so many meaningful connections.
As a BVC intern, I had the opportunity to develop and practice
many important skills, such as humility, patience and communication. There were
times when distressed Bergen County residents would climb up the BVC stairs, asking
for help. I would listen to them, along with Debbie and the ladies up front,
and direct them to the appropriate program to receive help. I also remember
visiting the Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center. It was
humbling to witness the beds and the rooms kept for homeless individuals.
Through these interactions, the BVC expanded my understanding of the human
condition.
Debbie had put me in touch with the Bergen Volunteer Medical
Initiative, a non-profit clinic. This was another force of luck; I began to
intern at BVMI from the summer of 2017 and throughout my senior year of
high-school. Through the clinic, I was able to explore access to healthcare for
the underserved population, another issue I am interested in. All of these together
shaped my desire to study Public Health and bring a positive change in my
community.
Elma, we at BVC cannot wait to see the positive impact and influence that you will have in making our world a better place. KEEP ON SOARING HIGH!