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On Wednesday, Aug. 10, new students had the opportunity to learn about (CEL) initiatives. From volunteering in the HOPES Free Clinic to educating community members about stroke awareness, students have 19 initiatives to choose from.

Each initiative falls under one of six pathways: health equity, older adults and chronically ill, first response, nutrition and exercise, global health equity and mental health.

The initiatives are designed to provide opportunities that cannot be experienced in a classroom alone.

"In Community Engaged Learning, the community is our classroom,” says Maryanne Gathambo, MPH, Director of Community-Engaged Learning. “We are there to learn and serve in the context of our community."

During the fair, students perched at tables excitedly shared how their initiatives worked.

"It was great to meet representatives of each CEL group,” says Zachary Bouker, MD Class of 2026. “I was able to get a deeper understanding on how the various groups make positive impacts on our community.”

For many students, volunteering in the community becomes a passion. Barbara Loveless, MD Class of 2026, could sense their excitement. "I loved seeing how the CEL groups were run by people who are genuinely interested in their groups and truly are invested in their missions, says Ms. Loveless. “It makes me excited to be part of a group that is making a real-world impact in our local community.”