![\"Sarah](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/sarah-with-wheelchari-e1756308526960-239x300.jpg\")
One of those students is Sarah Gerard, a senior from Avon High School. After moving to Connecticut from Maryland in fifth grade, Sarah set her sights on a career in health care, inspired by her stepmother, a physician assistant in oncology at UConn Health, and her mother, an engineer. Her goal is to attend the UConn School of Nursing and become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) possibly specializing as a flight nurse.<\/p>\n
Her passion for patient care deepened after writing her program application essay about her grandfather\u2019s hospice nurses, who brought him comfort during a time of great pain. This summer, Gerard split her time between the Office of Patient Experience and UConn Health\u2019s Neurology Department. In the hospital, she escorted patients, delivered flowers, located wheelchairs and transport equipment, and enjoyed talking with patients to hear their life stories. In neurology, she stocked supplies, cleaned rooms, handled faxes, prepared name cards, and even sat in on a patient encounter with Dr. Mason Leeman-Markowski where she learned about TIAs, also known as mini strokes, an experience she described as \u201cabsolutely fascinating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside of her volunteer shifts, Gerard is earning her EMT license, volunteering with the Harwinton Fire Department, and participating in a mission trip to Maine. Her summer experiences have reinforced her commitment to health care and strengthened her professional skills.<\/p>\n
She recommends the program to any high school student, even those unsure about a medical career. \u201cI\u2019ve gained valuable relationships, experience, and great connections,\u201d she says. \u201cSometimes the work can be routine, but it\u2019s in those moments that I\u2019ve learned the most. No matter your field of interest, this program gives you an incredible perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rivera agrees. \u201cAmong the volunteers, Sarah stood out for her exceptional dedication and willingness to go above and beyond. She consistently demonstrated a strong eagerness to learn and a genuine kindness in helping and directing patients wherever they needed to go. It was truly a pleasure having Sarah on the team, and her positive attitude made a meaningful difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another standout participant this year was Noor Hassan, a 10th grader from Avon who attends Madina Academy in Windsor. Like Gerard, Hassan was drawn to the program out of a desire to give back and gain hands-on experience in health care.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always valued giving back to the community and wanted to spend my summer doing something beneficial,\u201d Noor explains. \u201cWhen I found UConn\u2019s mission of helping people through volunteering, I was drawn to its teamwork and the opportunity to contribute to a larger mission while learning in a health care environment.\u201d<\/p>\n As part of her role, Hassan worked in administrative support, filing and scanning, collaborating with two different offices, and learning how medical records are managed under HIPAA retention requirements.<\/p>\n \u201cI learned what patient experience truly means to healthcare providers, and how it affects the work we do,\u201d she says. \u201cI also gained technical and administrative skills, understood the importance of punctuality, and learned the etiquette of dealing with patients to provide them the best experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Her supervisors echoed that impact. \u201cNoor was a pleasure to have with us this summer!\u201d says Natasha Judge, administrative program coordinator in the Department of Neurosurgery. \u201cShe consistently demonstrated a positive attitude, eagerness to learn, and strong reliability in every task she was given. Her enthusiasm and professionalism were truly appreciated, and she represented UConn Health with pride.\u201d<\/p>\n Noor expressed deep gratitude for her mentors. \u201cI would like to thank my supervisors Natasha and Dina from the Department of Neurosurgery for all their help, kindness, and support. Additionally, I would like to thank April Mansi, the volunteer services program coordinator, for setting up the Student Volunteering Program and following up continuously during our rotations.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back, she says the program has been invaluable: \u201cMy advice to anyone who wishes to pursue an interest related to helping people is to go for UConn volunteering. Not only will you walk away with service hours, but you\u2019ll gain skills, insights, and potential career paths you never imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Noor](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/noor-at-printer-e1756308609339-295x300.jpg\")