Organization Profile: Nashville Dolphins

Across the country this month, the culmination of many high school senior years will serve as a testament to what every parent wants for their child. After four years of embarking into unknown social and academic territory, their child will graduate not only with a diploma, but with memories of their experiences outside the classroom … Continue reading Organization Profile: Nashville Dolphins

Organization Profile: Autism Tennessee

“He’s artistic?” “No, he’s Autistic!” Today, if I asked a room of people if they knew what autism is, I am confident that a majority of them would say “yes.” However, if I were to ask this very question forty years ago, I am certain the answer would not be nearly as resounding. In fact, … Continue reading Organization Profile: Autism Tennessee

The Unsung Hero of Science

In my journey as a scientist, I recently started questioning myself. How necessary is animal sacrifice in order for us to conduct research? The conflict arises because I know the benefits of using mice for research, but at the same time, I understand the ethical dilemma. What difference is there between millions of bred mice … Continue reading The Unsung Hero of Science

Losing Our Languages

World language studies in United States higher education is quickly becoming a relic of the past. Amid the undeniable shift in academic priority towards science, math, engineering, and data science, institutions of higher education across America are putting second language studies on the back burner. In some cases, they’re not being given priority at … Continue reading Losing Our Languages

FP 4: Big Brothers Big Sisters

In these posts I have discussed the goals of Big Brothers Big Sisters, my personal experiences with my Little, the strengths of the program, and my recent experiences with the program during COVID-19. I would like to spend this post talking about the overall impact Big Brothers Big Sisters has had in the United States. … Continue reading FP 4: Big Brothers Big Sisters

FP 5: Bringing it all together.

In this final post, I want to further discuss how Casa Azafrán, the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE), and the Tennessee Office for Refugees (TOR) all uniquely serve immigrants and refugees—but also work together—in order to create a well-founded network of support. Most of my time with these organizations was spent with Nashville’s refugees … Continue reading FP 5: Bringing it all together.

FP 4: Stateless.

The last organization that I was able to connect with this semester is the Tennessee Office for Refugees (TOR). I had briefly heard about the office while volunteering with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE), and after reaching out to TOR about their volunteer opportunities, I was put in contact with Emily, one of … Continue reading FP 4: Stateless.

FP 3: Let’s share tea.

A few weeks after my first time volunteering with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE), I was invited to participate in their weekly “Community Day” English class at a nearby high school. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I arrived, I was warmly greeted by Karen, one of NICE’s adult education specialists. … Continue reading FP 3: Let’s share tea.

FP 2: We all bring gifts.

Not too long after I connected with Casa Azafrán, I heard back about volunteering with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE). I had reached out to Camila, a fellow student who had been involved with the organization for the past year, and she invited me to join a group event scheduled for that weekend. … Continue reading FP 2: We all bring gifts.

FP 1: We hold their secrets in our hands.

On a rainy afternoon, I visited Casa Azafrán (and Nolensville itself) for the first time. Greeted by signs in English, Spanish, and Arabic, I was pleasantly surprised by how the community center’s muted exterior gave way to a lively interior. With an assortment of toys stationed in one corner and a collection of informative pamphlets … Continue reading FP 1: We hold their secrets in our hands.