Serve

Broaden your perspective by providing service to others. Each year, CHIP sponsors a variety of service activities, from one-shot events to longer service-learning projects, such as performing blood pressure checks at the Minnesota State Fair, participating in panels aimed at high school students interested in the health sciences, and forming teams to walk in the annual University of Minnesota Relay for Life fundraiser.

One Alumnus' Perpsective on Service

Anna Abt, left, with CHIP member Heather Nelson.

Anna Abt, a Health Policy Analyst at UCare Minnesota, got involved with CHIP as an undergraduate student in the Medical Technology program. Curious about other health professions, Anna immediately felt welcomed by the students she met at CHIP. She joined the student committees SIHC (Student International Health Committee) and CLARION, eventually competing in a CLARION case competition.

During a stint as President of CHIP's Executive Council, Anna helped organize a benefit concert that raised $2,100 for Youthlink, a free health clinic for homeless kids. "It was a great place to put money back into the community", says Anna. The experience of organizing a large event taught her a lot about leadership and how to let people run with their ideas. She remembers, "It was a lot of fun to plan. I felt like I wasn't really in front of the group, I was a part of the group. We were doing this together."

Anna, who had long been interested in HIV/AIDS policy, initially thought about aiming for a research or medical career, eventually settling on a degree in Medical Technology. But a conversation with a student in pubic health led her in a different direction. As a result, Anna went on to receive a Master's degree in Public Health Administration and Policy. She credits CHIP with opening her eyes to new possibilities in health care careers. "Without CHIP, I wouldn't have known what public health was."