Gitanjali Raman

1. Tell us about how you discovered CESP and what made you want to join? What are social issues you care deeply about and why do you engage with the communities you do?

I discovered CESP as a welcome week leader and I thought it would be a great to meet other people who volunteer in the community. I really enjoyed the value that there were other people who were interested in making a difference in the community. Some social issues that I care about include environmental pollution, education, and access to health care. I care about these topics which is why I engage with the Cedar Riverside Adult Education Collaborative. This volunteer organization has helped make a difference in the community; this fall I will be teaching a health and wellness class to help increase health literacy in the community.

2. Where are you currently volunteering (name of organization(s))? How / why did you get involved with them? What views do you currently hold of the organization(s) (will you continue or find other opportunities, why?) How have these organizations impacted your undergraduate education so far?

I am currently volunteering at the Cedar Riverside Adult Education Collaborative. I joined this opportunity while taking a service learning class at the University of Minnesota. I enjoy the organization because I am able to teach and see the impact that education can make. This organization has impacted my undergraduate education because it has taught me how to be a better teaching assistant and informed me about my style of learning.

3. Tell us about a meaningful/memorable community engagement experience to date.

A meaningful experience that have had so far happened while I was volunteering at Hennepin Healthcare. While I was volunteering, there was patient who did not have family or friends with him. He seems very scared. So, I sat with him and listened to him talk until it was time for him to go to a different part of the hospital. This was memorable and meaningful for me because I was able to see the impact that volunteering made and how important family is, especially in difficult situations.

4. What Service Learning (SL) classes have you taken so far? Which one was your favorite? Which one was most challenging? Why? What other SL classes are interested in taking? Why?

I have taken AHS 1602 and CI 3611W. I think that CI 3611W was the most challenging because it was a different field of study that I had never learned about. I am currently enrolled in SPAN 3401. I chose SPAN 3401 because it is about Latinx Immigration and I would like to be more informed about the immigration laws that are currently in place.

5. What has been the biggest impact of CESP on your community engagement experiences / mindset so far and why (specific reflections, RAP Sessions, advising appointments, etc.)?

CESP has taught me how to think actively and add meaning to my actions. Through advising appointments and RAP sessions, I have been encouraged to think more about what works well in my community and what doesn’t. I think that CESP has greatly improved my overall experience at the University of Minnesota.

6. What has been the biggest impact of CESP on your professional goals/career so far?

CESP has taught me to how reach my goals and how to address disparities in my community. From my volunteering experience at Hennepin Healthcare, I witnessed a lot of people who did not know the language that the providers were using. CESP led me to the service learning class CI 3611W, which then led me to create my capstone project about health literacy, which is public health based.

7. Favorite quote / motto to live life by? Explain why.

“You must not let anyone define you limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.” -Gusteau from Ratatoullie
I like this quote because it shows a universal truth. The only one who can limit your will and determination is yourself.