Statement of Interest

In August 2021, I traveled to Belize and saw firsthand the challenges smaller nations faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While I had easy access to vaccines and boosters at home, I saw people in Belize waiting in long lines for their first doses because of severe shortages and delays in international aid. The country’s under-resourced healthcare system and heavy reliance on tourism meant that the economic fallout left many families and businesses struggling to meet basic needs. I realized how interconnected global crises are and how unevenly their burdens are distributed, inspiring me to take GOA Global Health to better understand these inequalities and find ways to address them. Through programs like SLIDE and SDLC, I’ve learned how to facilitate meaningful conversations and create spaces where different perspectives can come together to solve challenges. These experiences have prepared me to contribute to PolyGlobal by leading global health and equity discussions while encouraging the Polytechnic community to think critically and engage with real-world issues. I hope the Global Scholars program will help me become a more informed and empathetic leader who can make a real difference in addressing inequities like those I saw in Belize.