Community Service/Volunteer Work - Scholarship Essay Example

Finding the right balance between family, education and extracurricular activities can be difficult. There is always a struggle between what I want to do and what I need to do. Early in my schooling, I felt that I should be focusing on academics all of the time. My family understood this because I have always worked hard to accomplish my academic goals. I soon started to feel that something was missing. I decided to start spending some time in extracurricular activities at school and in the community.

This has really added a dimension to my education that was missing. My first volunteer experience was working alongside nurse and customer service staff at Mount Sinai Hospital. I volunteered in the Emergency Room. This was an incredible experience because I was able to witness the compassion and intelligence needed to work in this sort of medical environment. This experience inspired me to see more volunteer opportunities in the medical field. I currently am volunteering as a research assistant at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

I am doing this without pay or college credits. I am volunteering because I believe that I am able to make a difference. I am working as part of a team that is combating childhood obesity. I work alongside pediatric residents, doctors and nurses. I interview new mothers about their diet and collect data for the study. This has been the most rewarding volunteer experience I have ever had. I love working with the professionals in pediatrics, the interaction with mothers and the thought that I am helping children and mothers have happier and healthier futures.

My academic extracurricular activities center around Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), which is the National Health Honor Society. I value my membership in this organization because I feel that it is a privilege to belong and it reflects the emphasis I place on academic achievement. I enjoy the interaction with professional members of the medical community as well as other medical students that this organization provides. I feel that this membership, along with my membership in the honors Program at the University of Miami, is a result of my hard work and determination to reach my academic goals.

Celebrating and embracing my Hispanic heritage is also an important part of who I am. I belong to the Federacion de Estudiantes Cubanos (FEC) at the University of Miami. I was born in the United States, but my parents are from Cuba and Venezuela. My sisters were born in Venezuela as well, so I am a member of the FEC so I can keep the links I have with my extended family and ancestors strong. I have learned that my heritage helps to give me a sense of identity. It makes me feel unique, yet connected to other people that are Hispanic in a way I cannot fully describe.

I have especially enjoyed learning about some of the Cuban customs and traditions that I was not aware of because I was not raised there, as were some of my family members. The FEC exists to ensure that Cuban culture remains alive and relevant to life at the University of Miami. Extracurricular activities have helped me discover the balance between academic learning and real life learning. Some of my most enjoyable learning experiences have come as a result of participation in these activities.