Photo courtesy of Sareena Patel.
"As I sat in my 8th-grade health class watching Super Size Me, I felt the gears in my mind shift in a consequential way. Observing the effects of what consuming large amounts of fast food can do to the body sparked my curiosity about human health and catapulted me into a realm of broader thought: the health of the US. In college, I envision myself having the capacity to immerse myself in a curriculum that could supplement my goals of improving not only physical health but also socioeconomic factors that contribute to the overall health of our nation. I graduated high school in the top 2% of my class and will be the first person in my family to attend college, so I will work diligently to make sure I get the most out of a higher-level education.
I plan to explore my major, Health and Societies, by engaging in the curriculum and joining activities around the college to help me get the best out of my education. I plan to do a semester abroad in India through the SA: SIT India: Public Health, Gender and Community Action (BHH) program. I want to go to India and get in touch with my roots, while also studying the public health and gender issues pertaining to the country. I want to continue researching, but plan to focus my research on the cardiovascular health of people who don’t have nutritious diets.
I have aspirations to become a physician in family medicine. While in college, I envision myself having the capacity to immerse myself in a curriculum that could supplement my goals of improving public health through research and working with people who have similar interests. I hope to continue my advocacy and women empowerment by creating my own clubs that work towards expanding opportunities, especially for underprivileged individuals."