#theVIPexperience Post #75: Tasneem Ikram

During undergrad, most students have to volunteer for various reasons. Whether it be because they’re pre-med and their advisors told them to, or if they must volunteer a certain number of hours in order to fulfill a scholarship requirement. During my undergraduate career, I volunteered at many different places for the reasons previously mentioned. However, most of these experiences started and ended the same. I started out excited to be a part of the program and by the end of my required time, I no longer felt much joy during the experience. It came down to the fact that I really didn’t feel like I was making a difference in someone else’s life. When I stumbled onto the Crossroad Volunteer Internship Program, I was intrigued to say the least. It was like nothing I had ever done before but more importantly, it was clear that this program would allow me to legitimately help not only one individual, but many people. After 2 rotations, I can still say that I am very excited and energized by this volunteer experience. It’s amazing to have the chance to help multiple people in just a 4 hour time frame each week. Not only did I gain a meaningful experience, I also gained quite a bit of knowledge. I was exposed to the real world, to put it one way. I had to find a way to help patients whose insurance wasn’t accepted by any clinic within walking distance. I had to find a way to make sure patients without health insurance were able to receive proper help and treatment without them having to worry excessively about money. Last, but certainly not least, I was given the opportunity to help those without transportation, without anyone to look after them, without anyone in their corner. These patients might not know my name at the end of the day but what truly matters to me is to do my best so that they can rest easy with one less problem, one less worry. I am absolutely blessed to have been a part of the CVIP and hope many others join the program!