Students in PHAR 150’s Global Health Course spent the past year teamed up with the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) to take part in service learning. The students were divided into three teams. These are their experiences.

Team 1

Throughout the course of this semester, our class partnered with three different DMARC food pantries. At our site, we helped restock shelves, walked the patrons through the aisles, and administered anonymous surveys to collect data on various social determinants of health and food insecurity. We have learned more about the food pantry and DMARC through interacting with the pantry staff. Analyzing the surveys and conducting a focus group allowed us to assess the population needs. Our focus group was an open discussion where we discussed the patrons’ perceptions of the pantry, use of the pantry and other food banks/kitchens, and other resources they were in need of. The patrons were very willing to share their personal experiences with the group, which resulted in an engaging conversation and mentionedseveral ideas we could bring up to the pantry directors, such as creating a resource contact list for various services such as mental health, health insurance, housing, and employment.

One of the major takeaways from working with the DMARC food pantries is that food insecurity does not impact just minority or underprivileged populations, it impacts nearly every population. The pantry patron population differed based on which site they frequented; at the River Place location, we saw a lot of the older, white, and rural populations, many of which had already retired. Food insecurity is often created to be something that does not impact middle class Americans, or established Americans, removing many people from the issue. However, that was the one of the main populations that we saw in our pantry. Giving someone food does not cure their food insecurity, instead there are so many other needs that people have, many of which they lack the resources to fix. For instance, many people need more food than a once a month pass through the pantry, but they do not know where they can go to get more food, instead implementing budgeting of food stamps and eating high calorie, carb-loaded diets. Our focus group helped establish to us that people are looking for help that they cannot find, mostly because these resources are not accessible to everyone, including free/affordable healthcare, insurance, dental care, and clothing closets. The ability to interact with those that are food insecure humanized and grounded the issue for us, and gave us an invaluable lesson for our futures in health-related fields.

Team 2

Over the course of this semester our team has been working with the local Drake IMPACT food pantry to evaluate their service and the needs of their patrons. Starting in the pantry itself, we got to experience how their system functions while working directly with the pantry clients to assist them in obtaining the food they need. Taking these clients through the pantry, we were able to learn a lot about the various strengths and weaknesses of the food pantry service. One of the largest weaknesses we found was in food quality and the freshness of items present within the pantry. Investigating these observations further, we transitioned into conducting one-on-one interviews with those visiting the pantry using a social determinants of health survey. The results of these surveys will be given to DMARC to continue their work in improving pantry services. Finally, we conducted a focus group with pantry patrons to further investigate issues present within the community that cannot be expressed in a simple survey format. Through open dialogue with 8 of these individuals, we learned a lot about issues present within the Drake community ranging from transportation to program effectiveness to even mental health. 

Another component of our experience within this course was working with students from the INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO DE MONTERREY in Mexico. Exploring the theme of Global Health, we embarked on a journey of learning with these students as we researched various health issues present in both countries. Both the Drake and Tech groups also provided unique perspectives and data on the issues present within our respective communities. Building toward a collaborative presentation, the chance to work in a cross-cultural setting has been invaluable to our academic experience. As students pursuing careers in global health, understanding colleagues from various backgrounds and cultural settings will be vital to future work. We personally would recommend this course to not only anyone pursuing a career in global health, but to anyone looking to expand their knowledge on global health disparities that face the modern world.

Team 3

In our experience at DMARC, we distributed surveys and conducted a focus group to receive more information about the clients at DMARC pantries, their needs, and their feedback. We had the opportunity to volunteer at the West Des Moines DMARC pantry, which recently began a program to encourage healthier eating. This program works by giving each food item a point value from 1-5, where healthier items are a 1 and less healthy items are a 5. Pantry users are allowed 36 points per visit, so if they choose healthier food items, they get to take more. Throughout our weeks at DMARC, we developed relationships with our pantry director, other volunteers, and clients.

Generally from the responses from the focus group, the clients who are using the West Des Moines pantry are very satisfied with their experience, especially because of the pantry’s dedication to providing fresh and healthy food. The overall lifestyle of the individuals who use the pantry has improved because of the healthy food that they are receiving. Additionally based on the survey responses, participants did not have too many concerns about food insecurity, meaning that they are being taken care of well at the pantry and are receiving adequate food. The largest need that we identified was that individuals need assistance with paying for their utility bills, which is an area of need that the West Des Moines pantry could work to address. Overall, the process of taking surveys and conducting the focus group felt like we were really making a difference to improve the West Des Moines pantry so that they can help their clients have the best experience possible – while giving the clients a voice for their needs to be heard.

Written by Rasleen Kakar

“Fall seven times, stand up the eighth.” This is a quote that reminds me failure is a part of life, and I knew I’d be holding this quote close when I started my time serving at Habitat for Humanity. Not because I was planning on making mistakes, but because I knew there would be room for improvement and the only way I could continue to grow is if I chose to stand up. 

My name is Rasleen (Raz-Leen) (Kuh-Car), and I am a first-year student at Drake University studying Computer Science and Information Systems with a minor in Data Analytics. Therefore, I was more than enthused when I learned I earned the opportunity to serve as the Data Analytics and Marketing Intern at the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity – a nonprofit that helps low-income families with affordable housing. Overall, my time served at Habitat has been very beneficial. I have had the opportunity to develop more efficient methods in collecting, interpreting, and analyzing data. Additionally, I have attended a home dedication and helped the marketing team organize and execute a social event. Above all, my time at Habitat has been one of my biggest learning curves this school year. 

Coming into Habitat, I had a decent amount of so called “book knowledge” in the areas of coding and data, but I had yet to experience the practical/industry aspect of the Information Technology (IT) field. Thankfully for me, I was blessed with an amazing and helpful supervisor and team that offered assistance whenever I needed a push in the right direction. With their help and support, I was soon up to speed with the current standings of projects and brainstormed ways to simplify processes while maintaining rich and valuable data. Later on, I would work on projects that involved sorting related data from multiple worksheets and condensing it into one. This was done by insuring duplicate and redundant data was removed, while making sure the integrity of the data had been maintained. These projects not only help me get used to working with industry level tools, such as Microsoft Excel, but it also helped me get accustomed to some of the industry level norms. For an example, maintaining data integrity or applying the agile methodology vs waterfall when working on projects. By having the opportunity to get hands-on experience, I was able to understand why it is important to maintain correct data. I was able to understand why it is important to break projects into small parts and periodically check in with your supervisor vs completing everything in one shot, because it helps ensure you are staying on the right track. This helps save both your time and company time and also makes the process much more efficient. 

Aside from the benefits both Habitat and I reaped from our partnership, I was also able to witness the positive impact our work leaves on families by directly working with them. Earlier in the post, I had mentioned how I had the opportunity to attend a home dedication. Essentially, a home dedication is a small celebration Habitat organizes when a family finally receives the keys to their hard-earned home. This is a very significant moment, which takes place at the partner family’s home, because it marks the end of the countless hours they spent towards sweat equity. During this time, we also celebrate all the hours spent towards budget management and financial literacy. I believe this is very important because it aligns with one of Lupton’s, the author of Toxic Charity, principles of preserving one’s dignity and respect.”. Lupton stresses a lot on the fact that often times when we volunteer, many of the projects and services done are just “Band-Aids” – they help in the moment but are not a long-term solution. By having an accepted applicant(s) complete sweat equity and go through other training, the applicant(s) can feel proud of all the hard work they put into this process and get a feeling that they deserved this position. This process also helps develop lifelong skills the homeowner can use in order to maintain a good lifestyle and hopefully prevent them from going back in their footsteps. 

Overall, having the opportunity to server as Data Analytics and Marketing Intern at the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity has been both a valuable and humbling experience. I have had the ability to get familiar with some industry level norms, tools, and skills. Yet, at the same time I have also had the opportunity to play an active role in non-toxic charity. I learned by helping one build their skill sets, helps them become self-reliant and therefore break out of the cycle of poverty. My hope is to share my new learning experiences with current and future community partners to prevent unknown toxic charity from expending, and to continue to provide ways that encourage self-reliance. After all, if you “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. 

Written by Sydnei Washington

Being a part of the Engaged Citizen Corps program has provided me with the tools and resources to be the caring, productive citizen I’ve always dreamed of being. This program is filled with kind, thoughtful, and caring people that take you on an exploration on how to give back to others in a way that helps more than it hurts. By learning that intent isn’t everything and that creating dependency is not productive, service learning is about giving and taking for both the community being helped and the student learning. I now volunteer and do activities that I know help communities.

Not only does this program provide insight into the toxic aspects of charity and the things that we need to improve on when giving back to others, it also provides real life experiences and ways to implement these tools of effective community service. Through this program each student gets paired up with their own non-profit, in which they help the organization in various ways. I can honestly say working at my non-profit has contributed to so many of the great memories I have from college so far. I work at Children Family Urban Movement, an organization that provides free after school programing for children of Moulton Elementary. The organization also provides breakfast and dinner to the kids and community members.

While at this organization I have helped with many different age groups but I have worked closely with a group of girls called the “Wonder Girls.” This program is designed to get fifth grade girls ready to go to middle school. It focuses on their emotions, friendship developing skills, working hard, kindness, giving back to others, and navigating the challenges of being growing young ladies. While working with the girls I have developed very close relationships with them and implemented different workshops, lessons, and programs to get the girls to better understand these topics. I had the great pleasure of creating a journaling program that allowed the girls to journal back and forth with me. This program not only allowed me to get closer with the girls and better understand their struggles, it also allowed me to give them advice and guidance on deep topics they may not feel comfortable discussing in front of their peers.

Working with these girls has truly been an honor and I learn more and more from them every time I go in. This experience is all thanks to the amazing Engaged Citizen Corps program and I will forever be grateful for the knowledge and experience this program gave me.

Written by Sam Wolstenholm.

When I applied to be a member of the Engaged Citizen Corps, I was not really sure what I was getting myself into. I had a general idea of what the program was about and how it was structured, but I had no idea what I would actually be doing when it came to both the classes and the internship. As I near my goal of 300 service/training hours with AmeriCorps, it is time for me to reflect on what I have done and what I have learned.

My internship through the ECC is with Junior Achievement and it couldn’t be a better fit for me. Junior Achievement is, like every partner organization in the ECC, a non-profit. We focus on education and personal finance. Our main service is recruiting volunteers and sending them into classrooms to teach a curriculum about finances to the students. The grades taught can range from anywhere between kindergarten and 12^th grade, though most classes fall in the K-4^th range. We also have our JA Biztown and JA Finance Park capstone programs that take place at the Junior Achievement building. 

I personally work best when I get a mix of tasks to do, and that is exactly what I am getting at Junior Achievement. One week I will be cutting stacks of paper into smaller pieces of paper and be creating a Bowl-a-Thon highlight video the next. I have gone to conferences, trained volunteers, produced music, and so much more at Junior Achievement. I am allowed and expected to do a variety of tasks that range from monotonous to essential and I love that. 

Through working with Junior Achievement, I have learned so much about the Des Moines community. Because we work closely with businesses in the area and especially closely with the schools in the area, I have interacted with so many different people in so many different positions. I have been able to talk to local teachers and principals, students, CEOs, and everything in between. The networking opportunities are clearly not an issue. However, the main thing that I enjoy about being exposed to all these different kinds of people is that I get different perspectives on the community. I learn from the people directly what is going on in Des Moines and what they think of it. I also believe that nothing represents a community more than the schools in that community, so being able to not only interact with the students and teachers from those schools but actually go into some of them really makes me feel like I am a part of and making some kind of difference in the community. 

This idea of becoming a part of the community you are trying to help is very important to Robert Lupton in his book Toxic Charity. We read this book for our first-year seminar class that is part of the ECC curriculum. In the book, Lupton focuses on making clear the best ways to go about service work. Getting to know the people you are trying to help is a really big concept to him, and I think that I have gotten to know the Des Moines community through the ECC and Junior Achievement in a way that I would not have been able to do otherwise. I feel as though this city is my home now. I am not a guest of these beautiful people at this point and that really makes me happy to feel like I am working alongside these people to help them rather than doing it because I have to. 

All that being said, I am excited for the summer because Junior Achievement is actually keeping me as a summer intern once I am done with my ECC work. It was such a perfect fit for both me and the organization that it made sense for us both for me to continue working there. The work that I have done this school year for my organization has been fun (and it isn’t even over yet), and even the monotonous jobs I had to do sometimes were fine because I knew that I would be helping the community somehow, whether it was direct or indirect, no matter what I did. In the summer, however, I will be working more with students directly, so I will become even more familiar with the community. I learned so much through this program. I am now more conscious of the types of service work I do and the manner in which I do them. I perceive many issues (like homelessness or saving money) as ones that can actually be addressed and worked on. Not only that, but I am more confident in addressing and discussing these issues myself. Above all, I think that I am a more loving person because I see people in a more positive way than I did before. I really am glad that I applied for this program.

10 students and 2 faculty members travelled to Land Between the Lakes in Golden Pond, Kentucky during the week of March 17th-23

By Erin Opar, Graphic Design and Social Media Service Learning Ambassador

During the week, participants of the Alternative Spring Break trip, led by Service Learning Ambassador Bri Dressel, worked closely with the national recreational area in order to clean up trails and the land in general. Their work site was about an hour from their cabin, and they worked full days. The purpose of this trip was to challenge the traditional ideas of a college spring break; to challenge the ideas of binge-drinking, partying, and napping on beaches. This trip allowed participants to take part in something bigger than themselves, and in doing so, they were able to positively impact Land Between the Lakes.

Participants worked with the “triangle of quality service” in mind: direct service, education, and reflection. The direct service came into play through their work with the organization. It was very hands on, and, well, direct. The education came into play when participants learned about how the work they were doing impacted the organization and the community. When asked about the biggest take-away, many participants said they will be more conscious about their impact on nature and society, and how waste and trash affect the environment. This trip allowed them to learn in ways that are hard to replicate in a classroom setting.

Finally, the reflection aspect came into play on a daily basis. Participants were asked every day to reflect on the work they had done thus far. This happened in a variety of ways, including journaling, photo-reflection, surveys, and sculpting how they felt with Play-Doh. Through these reflections, participants became fully aware of the service they were doing and why it is important.

It wasn’t all work and no play, though! Participants were able to take a day-trip to Nashville, Tennessee, where they were free to shop, get a tattoo, eat at local restaurants, and take a break from all of their hard work. This was a favorite for many of the participants, and is a gentle reminder to take some time to enjoy yourself.

The food was pretty great, too. There was a set budget the accompanying faulty members were allowed to spend, and they maximized their food amount! There were no stoves at the campground, which started out as a potential problem, but quickly turned into a fun experience! The faculty members were in charge of cooking, which was done over an open flame, and were able to create delicious, almost gourmet meals for the students and themselves. Did you know, if you are in a pinch for money and need to eat, just buy V8 vegetable juice and veggies, cook them together on the stove, and viola! You have a yummy vegetable soup!

Overall, participants agree they had a meaningful service experience on this year’s Alternative Spring Break trip. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!

Written by Ashly Frazier

Hello, my name is Ashly Frazier and I am a first year Environmental Science major attending Drake University. This year I have had a wide range of opportunities in which I have been able to take part. One in particular unlocked my mind in a way that none of my previous experiences ever had; becoming a member of the Engaged Citizens Corps. Those involved are being armed with knowledge and understanding in order to combat social injustices. Each member of this cohort was partnered with a nonprofit in the Des Moines, community. I was united with Anawim Housing, which helps low-income members of the community and those currently experiencing homelessness obtain affordable housing. On my first day at Anawim, I was nervous out of my mind; I didn’t think I was going to establish a meaningful connection with my coworkers or those we served. I now realized how irrational this fear was.

This fear disappeared when I met Full Circle. This is a peer mentorship group for tenants who have experienced homelessness that congregates at Anawim every Friday to share a meal and discuss various topics. Frequently there are visitors who discuss various things such as job training or art therapy. Sometimes other nonprofits will visit and talk about some of the services they can provide. On this particular Friday, I was able to experience my first Full Circle discussion. Gathered in a circle under dimmed lights the leader read a poem about home. After, we were asked what home meant to us and how we defined home. The talking stick slowly made its way around the circle. Each person was given the option to voice their thoughts or to internally ponder the question as they listened to others.

Here I was, sitting in a ring with those who had at some point lost what they defined as home. I thought that, because I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to relate and that anything I said would detract from the deep meaningful discussion and reflection occurring before me. I have never experienced homelessness, but I was raised by a single mother, and monetary funds were in short supply. Due to my parents’ separation, I grew up always having a bag packed with enough clothes for a few days, always moving back and forth between two places. This continued until I was presented with a scholarship to attend a boarding school. I spent my last three years of high school there and by attending Drake, I am now entirely in a different state. I describe this situation and explained how my constant movement away caused me to limit the roots I planted at a place, and that I wasn’t sure exactly what home was to me in terms of a physical structure. I quickly gave up the speaking stick after I said all of this in a few rushed words. The person who received the stick next opened up herself and her heart to our group.

She talked about how home is more than just a structure. Home is the feeling you get by being in a place or with someone who makes you feel comfortable to be your true self. My down casted eyes met their warm brown eyes and the doubt I felt dissolved in an instant. I realized that while I may not have had the same experiences as those around me, there were similarities at the core of our stories. I understood how it felt to feel displaced and unable to establish myself in a space. As the conversation continued, I learned more about myself and Anawim’s cause. A home can change everything, but first you must determine what a home is for you. Is it the people around you? Is it the place where you grew up? Is it where you currently live?

Now think if you were experiencing homelessness and you were told there was an opportunity for you to get housing, but you weren’t ready to have a home. You would probably be taken aback, confused, and/or even upset. This is something Anawim strongly disagrees with. They believe housing is a right. It is for this reason that they follow the Housing First model. Housing First is the theory and practice that recognizes a person doesn’t have to be “housing ready” before they obtain housing. Utilizing this method, people referred to Anawim programs coming from homelessness are not required to be sober, have a job, good credit, no evictions on their record, or in any other way ready for housing. Housing is a basic human need. Without a safe, stable home, a person cannot begin to address their issues. However, once a person has a permanent roof over their head, an address to receive mail, a safe and stable place to keep their belongings, and to feel safe when they sleep, they will be much more equipped and likely to address their issues and needs. They will be able to focus on improving themselves and thriving, rather than just surviving.

Anawim values the dignity and autonomy of their program participants. One way this is shown is with harm reduction practices. For instance, if a tenant is addicted to a substance, the case manager will not force them to receive treatment for their addiction. Instead, the case manager will encourage the person to seek help, and provide them with information and resources, but also discuss steps they can take to increase their safety until they are ready to address their addiction. Ultimately, they recognize and respect that getting help is the tenant’s choice. While some may say that doing this only encourages the negative habit, I would argue that taking away someone’s choice in a matter eventually leads to resentment and relapse. Choice for one’s self is more powerful and meaningful than being shackled by another’s decisions. Eventually the goal is that the subtle and non-invasive persuasion of the case manager and the tenant’s own opinions align to a path of recovery.

These concepts and ideas of home and who receives the opportunity to have a home are why I appreciate the work Anawim Housing is doing and I am honored to help further these efforts. This organization has taught me to advocate for change in a way that is meaningful, while maintaining autonomy and dignity of those we serve; two things often trampled in the crusade. Every person deserves a home. With every discussion on this issue, we are taking one more step along the long road to prevent, remedy, and one day abolish homelessness. The question is, will you march with us?

Written by Amber Guzzo

Hello! My name is Amber Guzzo and I am a first-year student in the Engaged Citizen Corps. Along with about every other student here at Drake, my schedule is packed from morning to night taking classes I love and partaking in activities I’m passionate about.  Every week is a little different here on campus and therefore I am never bored. I am so glad I made the decision to come to Drake and to be a member in the Engaged Citizen Corps.

However, if you were to flashback to a year ago, I did not have the same amount of enthusiasm about coming to Drake, or for any school for that matter. I had applied to nine great schools, and I was stuck trying to decide the perfect fit for me. That was when I started doing research on all of the schools I had gotten into., and trying to narrow down what would be the right fit for me. I was very intrigued when I stumbled across the Engaged Citizen Corps program here at Drake. I have to admit, as cool as the program sounded, I was also nervous of the time commitment. In the end, I ended up applying with only a few hours left before the due date, and looking back, I am so glad I made the decision to do so. 

After I had been accepted into the program, it was definitely one of the main factors that drew me to Drake. The fact that I was able to land an internship with a nonprofit my first year, and have the opportunity to explore Des Moines was such an amazing opportunity. I have grown so much personally this year, and I am so thankful for this program for helping with that growth. Not only that, but I also met some of the most genuine and kind people. I will walk away with some of my closest friends here at Drake. 

Here are just a couple examples of the activities I have done through the engaged Citizen Corps in my first semester:

• Civic Action Academy – Schools from all across Iowa and Minnesota came to Drake to learn how to be better civic leaders and it was a great learning opportunity.
• Poverty simulation – One of my favorite experiences from my first semester. It was such an eye-opening experience of what it is like to deal with poverty. 
• Bridging the Gap – This was an awesome experience where we as a group went to a town meeting to discuss better ways the City of Des Moines could build relations among different groups.

In our First Year Seminar class, “Toxic Charity,” I was able to discuss some of the most important factors of serving others, especially those affected by poverty. I learned the importance of dignity, and how not all service is beneficial. My preconceived idea of serving the poor was challenged through this class which then aided me at my internship. We also had the opportunity to have guest speakers come to our class to discuss vital topics to serving others as well as being a good civil servant. Some of these topics included:

• Equity and Inclusion
• Privilege (and how we need to realize our own privilege to be able to use it to help underrepresented groups.)
• Mental and physical disabilities

Now one of the most important parts of the Engaged Citizen Corps is my internship! I am so blessed to be placed at such a wonderful internship. I intern at IMPACT Community Partnership in Des Moines. The staff there has been extremely welcoming and kind, and I have enjoyed working there so much.

 At IMPACT, we run a very busy food pantry, provide emergency services, disaster relief, and run the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LiHeap) program for our region. LiHeap is a program to help families in the winter keep their heating bills down and their heat on during the winter. We work with local vendors to make sure if they are behind on a payment, that they still are able to use their heat until it is warm enough. We also provide a credit to their account, so their bills are more affordable. Weatherizing homes is another service we provide to a select amount of homes in need every year. 

I have done a various number of tasks at IMPACT, but my biggest project is the newsletter that I put together every month. We send out this newsletter to local vendors we work with along with other local nonprofits to raise awareness about the programs we provide. I have loved creating our newsletter because I have been able to work on my marketing skills, while also learning about our various programs and learning more about our staff. This semester I will be working on a housing task force that our nonprofit has put together to work on housing issues in the Des Moines area.

Written by Taylor Bahr

My name is Taylor Bahr, and I am one of 10 members of Drake’s Engaged Citizen Corps (ECC) program. Through the Engaged Citizen Corps I’ve had the opportunity to participate in service-learning related coursework as well as partner with ISU Extension and Outreach in the Polk County 4-H department for an internship as a first-year student! Through this program, I’ve developed a passion for healthy charity and have become a leader within and outside of the Drake community.

Polk County 4-H is part of the state of Iowa’s 4-H program whose mission is to “empower youth to reach their full potential through youth-adult partnerships and researched-based experiences” (Polk County 4-H). The 4-H program hopes to further student’s skills in areas such as leadership and communication through several delivery modes including camps, clubs, and after-school programs. Throughout my time spent at Polk County 4-H this past semester, I’ve specifically been able to research and develop new lessons for the after-school program. At first this skill was very foreign to me, but I quickly learned how to design a program that would excite students as well align with the 4-H mission and program priority areas.

With Polk County 4-H I have also had the incredible opportunity to work directly with students on a weekly basis at an elementary school close to campus. Here, I work closely with around 20 students in two different 4-H clubs: Monroe 4-H and Monroe Cloverkids. These groups are divided by age, and each week I partner with the after-school program and lead different lessons focused around a variety of overarching themes, including STEM, Healthy Living, Communication & the Arts, and Leadership & Civic Engagement. This is when many of the lessons I design become useful to me. While some weeks I use pre-written programs, I often create new programs based upon student’s interests.

One of my favorite programs that I have done with the students thus far is creating chemo bags for patients at John Stoddard Cancer Center, a local Des Moines treatment center. Drawing on many of the concepts I’d learned in class about toxic charity, the Monroe 4-H club was able to give back to their community by also learning about the importance of kindness and giving back in their lives and others around them. By contacting John Stoddard to gain an understanding of their needs and directing that information into the creation of the program I was able to benefit both the 4-H club and those who received our chemo bags.

However, my role within Polk County 4-H isn’t confined to just this after-school program. With the help of my site supervisor, and lots of research, I’m currently in the process of creating a Drake Collegiate 4-H Club. This experience has been very exciting to me as I’ve gotten to connect with students on campus who are 4-H alums. This project also offers me the opportunity to make a lasting impact not only within Polk County 4-H, but also within the Drake community.

Overall, the Engaged Citizen Corps program has impacted my life in more ways than words can describe. I know Emily last week tried not to sound too cheesy when she mentioned the impact of the program on her life, but I’m already WAY past cheesy. 🙂

When I applied to the Engaged Citizen Corps program, got accepted into the program, and even up until I went to my internship site for the first time, I never had a full understanding of the program as a whole. While I knew I’d be focusing my time around the idea of service, I didn’t know I’d get placed in a site where I get the privilege to get to know 20 students on a weekly basis. While I knew that I’d be taking an FYS (First-year seminar) about Toxic Charity, I didn’t know that it would create a passion within myself. I didn’t know that a short semester later I would look at charitable giving, poverty, and the world in general in such a different way. While I knew that I would spend a great amount of time with fellow ECC members, I didn’t know they would become some of my closest friends on campus. While I knew that the Engaged Citizen Corps program was a great opportunity as a first-year student, I didn’t know that it would bring me closer to my campus, closer to the Drake Neighborhood, and create opportunities to develop myself as a person and student leader.

As I look back upon my experiences in the ECC program thus far, I’ve come to realize that this program hasn’t just taught me; it’s shaped me into a better person. Being cognizant of the community around me and striving to educate others on issues pertaining to charity and poverty is something I will continue to build upon past just this year. Knowing that my experience is only a little over halfway through, I’m excited to see where my Engaged Citizen Corps experience continues to take me.

Chinatsu Sazawa is an Associate Professor of Japanese at Drake University and enjoys using service as a way to bridge American and Japanese cultures.

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