As a Pakistani American, Rabia Asif ’22’s household and tradition performed a formative position in her curiosity in group service work. However a mixture of significant lessons at Chapman and volunteer work within the Orange group is what actually galvanized her new worldview.
“I began the service and volunteering on the recommendation of steerage counselors to spice up my candidacy for medical faculty,” says Asif.
However then one thing else took maintain.
“Working with individuals and organizations that make a distinction made me notice that one of many most important causes I wish to do drugs is not only for science, however for the love of giving. I see now that I’ll acquire extra from sufferers than they from me.
A well being science graduate with a pre-medical focus and a minor in Spanish, Asif volunteered with Faculty on Wheels, a nonprofit that gives one-on-one digital tutoring for younger individuals displaced from their houses. She additionally labored on the native Lestonnac Free Clinic within the previous city of Orange, which offers free medical companies to members of the group who shouldn’t have insurance coverage. Whereas at Chapman, she additionally participated within the AMSA Pre-Medical Membership and the Muslim College students Affiliation.
“These volunteering experiences have introduced a brand new perspective to my life and that is one of many the explanation why I utilized to the Shinnyo-en Scholarship Program,” she says.
The scholarship by way of the Shinnyo-en Basis helps former Chapman College graduate college students concerned with peacebuilding and repair. Shinnyo-en Fellows obtain monetary stipends to develop management and pondering abilities to implement the muse’s peacebuilding philosophy and produce it to Chapman and local people organizations.
Asif found the scholarship program throughout a second formative expertise whereas at Chapman.
“The sociology lessons I took as a well being sciences main actually impacted my worldview. I used to be solely concerned with my STEM lessons after I began. However these lessons confirmed me the most important issues on this planet,” says Asif.
Particularly, a course in medical sociology taught by Assistant Professor Ashley Kranjac launched her to the problem of well being disparities.
“It mixed my ardour for drugs with inequality, so I may lastly perceive why some individuals are at larger danger for well being points and the way our environments have an effect on well being outcomes. It ignited my ardour for drugs, not only for science, however as a method to make a distinction,” she says.
Final 12 months’s Shinnyo-en scholar, Shun Kato ’21, offered in certainly one of these sociology programs.
“His presentation about his work with Increased Floor Youth and Household Companies made me wish to apply,” she says.
Now a scholar herself, Asif is beginning her personal mission at Increased Floor, an Anaheim group whose mission is to supply mentorship and alternatives to at-risk and underserved youth. She might be working at Increased Floor subsequent 12 months as she prepares to take the MCAT in preparation for making use of to medical faculty.
“I implement a literacy program of their after-school applications as a result of we see quite a lot of inequities in training amongst youngsters. I’ve met sixth graders who cannot learn. This raises larger problems with social injustices within the training system,” says Asif.
“We’re honored to have hosted a Shinnyo postgraduate fellow for 5 years,” stated Julye Bidmead, Ph.D., director of the Middle for Undergraduate Excellence and affiliate professor within the Division of Non secular Research. “The fellowship permits the man to commit for a 12 months to enhancing the lives of others by way of social justice and peacebuilding, in addition to gaining worthwhile skilled abilities by way of work on the Middle for Undergraduate Excellence . Every fellow brings one thing distinctive to the fellowship, and we stay up for Rabia’s profitable partnership with Increased Floor.
The Shinnyo-en Basis is a philanthropic department of the Shinnyo-en Buddhist Order. The Basis was created to advertise a extra harmonious and peaceable world.
“Although the muse relies on Buddhist values, these are common – peace, service, selflessness,” Asif says. “They are saying there are various paths to peace. To me, that signifies that if every of us makes a novel contribution to the world, we will in the end make it a greater, extra peaceable place.