Justin has officially been a part of our community since September 2018. He came to us through the AmeriCorps program in hopes of bettering himself and contributing to bettering the community.
Justin is striving towards becoming a doctor. Becoming an AmeriCorps member and working with the Ursulines, he says, was his way of growing from being introverted to being more extroverted. Connecting and building rapport with his future patients is extremely important to him and stepping out of his comfort zone was his way of improving himself.
For part of his experience with us, Justin was placed at Beatitude House Immigrant Outreach, tutoring mothers who’ve immigrated from South and Central America, Asia and the Middle East to the Mahoning Valley.
Justin says initially he was “terrified,” but he found that some of the women were equally as terrified due to their communication barriers. Justin also worked with children in the program. While doing so, he says he discovered he’s naturally good at communicating with kids, surprising him and discovering it may be a field he can specialize in as a doctor.
Justin also notes he came to realize the various struggles poverty causes —uncovering families’ coping mechanisms, rationing, operation and communication through real-life experience was important to understanding it, he says.
Justin also contributed to our HIV/AIDS Ministry. He says he was able to better understand the operation of a nonprofit and the huge importance of not only providing a clinic, the only within our community, but a community for those living with or affected by the virus. Justin said the experience was “unforgettable and invaluable.
“One thing I would say to anyone considering AmeriCorps is that it is a great way to expand your education and gain real world experience. This year provided me with a fortitude of learning experiences in communication, health, and within our local community,” Justin says.