Alana Perez
  • Public Health
  • Class of 2021
  • Medina, OH

Alana Perez spends summer break 2017 volunteering in Minneapolis

2017 Jul 19

Alana Perez of Medina was among 27 compassionate Baldwin Wallace University students who gave up a week of summer break to make a difference through BW's Alternative Break service program. The program facilitated three diverse experiences with student volunteers traveling to Cleveland, Minneapolis and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park in Michigan. Each journey was led by a BW student with support from a University faculty or staff adviser.

Perez, a graduate of Buckeye Senior High School majoring in public health, volunteered to take part in the alternative break experience in Minneapolis. The outreach focused on pediatric public health disparities with the team of 10 students volunteering at One Heartland, People Serving People (PSP) and the Mayo Clinic's Office of Health Disparities.

The BW junior helped provide over 400 service hours and learned about HIV/AIDS, stigmas and disparities, and nonprofit work at One Heartland's Camp Heartland, a safe space for youth infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. At PSP, a nonprofit that helps those in need of emergency shelter or transitional housing, the group took three preschool children for a rare trip to the arboretum that was described by one child as the "best day ever." The Mayo Clinic immersed the students in ongoing, leading research in pediatric health disparities through a presentation directed by Dr. Sumedha Penheiter. The Office of Health Disparities was impressed that an undergraduate institution reached out to them, as they usually host graduate and medical students, and praised BW's dedication to enriching students through service learning. The trip was led by BW student William Anastasiadis with support from faculty adviser Dr. Jackie Morris.

The BW Alternative Break service program provides students with opportunities to make a difference, travel to another area, learn new skills and meet people with similar interests. Participants commit to a six-week, pre-trip curriculum including issue education, organization orientation, team building and a full-day retreat on social justice and cultural competency. Alternative Break is one of many community service programs organized by the David & Frances Brain Center for Community Engagement to support BW's mission of empowering students to become contributing, compassionate citizens. Community groups interested in partnering with BW can contact the Center at 440-826-2403 or BrainCenter@bw.edu.