4 October AmeriCorps Alumni Spotlight: Addressing Mental Health Through AmeriCorps Service October 4, 2021 By Sarah Short AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Member Stories, Impact Stories, Member Impact Story 0 Gurneet Raina served the community in Rootstown, Ohio, at Corps for Rural and Urban Successes in Health (CRUSH) from 2013-2015. AmeriCorps members at this program establish and deliver a Health Professions Affinity Community (HPAC) service-learning based curriculum to students whose Ohio urban and rural school districts lack the resources to provide academic and career skill support necessary for students to obtain a sustainable career in the health care industry, a growing Ohio career opportunity. Currently, Raina is a second-year psychiatry resident through Summa Health. Q: What was your role as a member? What community issues did you address? A: Our role was to establish and deliver a Health Professions Affinity Community (HPAC) service-learning based curriculum to students whose Ohio urban and rural school districts lack the resources to provide academic and career skill support necessary for students to obtain a sustainable career in the healthcare industry. HPAC students identify a health issue in their community, such as diabetes or obesity, and develop a project that brings awareness to the issue. I assisted in teaching and establishing community connections for students in their community. Q: How did you first learn about AmeriCorps and why did you decide to join? A: I was approached by one of my professors in college to join the program. I was between two job options and ended up deciding to join AmeriCorps. As a recent college graduate, I wasn’t sure what the right path was for me, but knew that active community engagement could be a fulfilling service. Q: What was your favorite memory from serving? What did you enjoy most about your experience? A: My favorite memory was seeing students I mentored present their projects at a conference. When I first met them, they were shy but eager students. With a little guidance, I was able to watch them flourish and take ownership of their projects. It made me realize helping communities is about building them up to help themselves. My favorite part of this journey was the interaction with the students and watching them grow as active community participants. Q: How has AmeriCorps service influenced where you are today? A: It exposed me to people beyond my “bubble” and made me notice the health disparities right in my own state. I was surprised to see that no matter which part of the state I was in, students selected common themes such as mental health. I noticed the many resources for mental health varied county by county, creating a critical need for mental health providers. Hearing the stories and seeing the passion in my students working on their mental health projects ignited my interest to be part of the solution. I decided to apply to medical school and then eventually psychiatry. I hope to serve the very community I was an AmeriCorps member in providing a much-needed service. If it wasn’t for AmeriCorps, I would not have learned the vast disparities in my own backyard. Q: Would you recommend joining AmeriCorps to your peers? Why or why not? A: YES! It is a fantastic way to push yourself outside of your comfort zone in a supportive environment. It is also rewarding to be an active participant in your community. To learn more about the AmeriCorps program and to read more alumni stories, click here. Related Posts AmeriCorps Alumni Spotlight: Improving Diversity in Medicine Through AmeriCorps Service In 2020-2021 AmeriCorps project year, Gavin Wu served with Corps for Rural and Urban Successes in Health (CRUSH). Wu's service inspired him to continue providing opportunities in medicine to marginalized populations. Wu is currently a student at The Ohio State College of Medicine. AmeriCorps Alumni Spotlight: From Service to a Career in Serving Families IN 2005-2006, Nick Jones served at Children's Hunger Alliance where he helped address childhood hunger, healthy eating and living and obesity. Nick continues this work today as the Director of Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families at Nationwide Children's Hospital. A New Service Year is Here! How Ohio’s AmeriCorps Programs Orient Members for Service The 2019-20 AmeriCorps program year has begun! Across the state, Ohio’s 23 AmeriCorps State programs are kicking off with orientations that prepare members for their intensive terms of service. AmeriCorps Alumni Spotlight: From City Year to City Council Elizabeth Brown served with City Year in the 2002-2003 AmeriCorps project year. Brown worked to promote literacy and service learning. Brown now serves as a city council member in the City of Columbus. AmeriCorps Alumni Spotlight: An Inspiration to Build Connections Rayven Peterson's service at OhioServe, Educational Core has been "instrumental in my aspirations and goals for my career in counseling." Peterson is currently a first-year post-bac Doctoral student in the University of Kentucky’s counseling psychology program. Meet our New AmeriCorps Programs In the 2020-21 Program Year, we are delighted to welcome six new AmeriCorps programs into our portfolio. These programs will support 123 AmeriCorps members who will serve in schools, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout Ohio. Learn more about our new programs! Comments are closed.