Reflection

I am a proud third-generation born American, thanks to the arduous journey my great-grandmother Carmen Juerta undertook in order to give her yet-to-be-born children and future generations a chance at a greater life, with success and security she did not have back in Mexico. My great-grandmother is a great inspiration to me, and I remember her often to remind me of how I am a part of a greater story, not just personally but globally as well.

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When I became a part of the Global Learning Medallion program, I joined with the expectation that I would learn beyond what I knew in Miami. And thanks to the GLM program and encouraging mentors, I have expanded my horizons in multiple directions.

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Being a third-generation American, I have lost touch with my Mexican roots. Despite living in a diverse city where I experience a myriad of cultures, I needed to spread my wings independent of my comfort zone. This is why I pursued study abroad. I chose Ecela Spanish & Medicine because I have interests in medicine, and I saw no better opportunity to combine that with my passion to learn Spanish. They offered classes in grammatical and conversational Spanish as well as shadowing opportunities at local clinics. This experience allowed me to develop my Spanish-speaking skills while also offering the opportunity for self-reflection. I have and will continue to make mistakes, but through those mistakes I will continue to improve.

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While I was preparing to go on my study abroad, I had discovered the club GlobeMed. This was my introduction to the realm of public health. At the time the eboard was looking for a GHU coordinator, whose role would be to present and teach topics in public health to the student body. I saw this as an opportunity not only to work on my communication skills but also to learn about something I had never heard of before. I was accepted during Spring 2019, and since then have presented on more than a dozen topics. A few of my favorites include Biofuels, Fast Fashion & Pollution, Vaccines, and Microplastics. Through GlobeMed, I also realized the responsibility I have not only as a teacher but as a global citizen to educate others and actively promote global public health.

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Overall, the most transformative aspect of my time in the Global Learning Medallion program is pursuing a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences. Since before matriculating into FIU, I had the intention to go to medical school and become a doctor. Yet, in the back of my mind, I realized over time that that idea was not my own. Thankfully, I have had several mentors and peers that encouraged me to explore my other interests. Joining the GLM program was the impetus in this change. It exposed me to ideas in a whole new context that I had never considered before. As a part of the world, we are all global citizens and have some sort of civic responsibility to ensuring global equity. Public health is the avenue I have chosen to follow in pursuit of global citizenship. I wish to improve the world by focusing on our relationship with the environment and what the repercussions of mistreatment are. I will always have an interest in medicine, but right now my desires are pointing towards public health, and I am eternally grateful to have the GLM program as my jumping off point towards the rest of my academic career.