From the president
Rachel is currently majoring in the Arts in Medicine, Science & the Humanities. Rachel has been actively involved since her start at Johns Hopkins University. She has been an Advising Fellow for Matriculate up until the summer of 2024, which is a non-profit that seeks to connect high-achieving, low-income students to attend colleges where they will thrive. Rachel in the summer of 2024 became part of Community Impacts Internship Program (CIIP) where she interned with Dent Education, a local organization that works primarily with Baltimore City youth where she piloted college-access sessions within their Social Innovation program site.
Rachel has continued her engagement as an intern at Shepherd’s Clinic, and a Research Assistant for HEAL Refugee Health and Asylum Collaborative. An organization that seeks to expand access to responsive health care and services to refugees. In addition, Rachel has been a Resident Advisor for JHU’s Residential Life and recently has been the President of the Student Advisory Council for her degree program. Needless to say, Rachel has value in community engagement and advocacy that can be seen within and external to the institution.
Personal Statement
My desire to work at the intersections of race, immigration, and mental health has grown not only from my personal experiences within my community but also from observing how Black immigrants struggle with their mental health once they migrate and settle in the United States. Lack of access to mental health resources, coupled with demonization of traditional practices, has led this community to suffer silently as they try to navigate life in a new country. I know that my current work and research serving Black and other immigrant populations will be greatly enhanced through the support of the Newman Civic Fellowship. A major aspect of the fellowship that I would want to utilize is the ability to network with other fellows interested in immigrant welfare in the US. Whether it be health-related or otherwise, connecting with other student leaders and learning more about their projects and goals will only help me to expand on my own current work. Along with this, I believe that the curriculum established within the fellowship will further develop my leadership skills for not only the work I pursue at Hopkins, but my future career as a community engaged researcher and clinician.