MRC Student of the Month - October 2001

Intkhab "Hobbes" Jaffri

(Senior - Health Policy & Administration)

"Take Charge of Your Education and Your Life!"

I am a proud Pakistani Muslim living in America. My family moved to America during my elementary years. At first, it was hard for me to adjust to my new home, especially since we moved to New York City and I didn't speak any English. However, I survived many difficulties early in life, which eventually helped to set me up for success at Penn State. After high school, I started college at Penn State University Berks Campus. I met friends there that I will hopefully remain close to for the rest of my life. My friends from Berks really helped me survive many of the challenges of college life, and as a result, I had the most exciting, memorable and unforgettable experience at Berks. 'Til this day, I still remain in contact with my Berks friends. After Berks, I came to Penn State at University Park, which has been a totally different, but just as rewarding, experience. At University Park, I've learned more about life than I would ever have thought possible. One of the most important things I've learned here is responsibility. Being a college student has not only given me large amounts of in- and out-of- class work to do, but (with the help of professors and advisers) it has also taught me how to handle pressure, manage my time more effectively and take responsibility for my education.

To me, responsibility means not only doing what you're supposed to do, but also doing what you should do. One of the things I do "because I should" is volunteer. At Penn State, I volunteer as a mentor for first-year students as part of the Knowledge, Excellence, Wisdom & Learning (KEWL) Mentoring and Leadership Program. As a KEWL mentor, I help first-year students adjust to college life by informing them of the many resources that are available to them as Penn State students. Additionally at Penn State, I am currently in my last semester in the Health Policy & Administration (HPA) major. As a HPA major, I have had the opportunity to volunteer over 200 hours (since 1997) at the Hershey Medical Center (HMC). Working at HMC, I saw many individuals who were less fortunate than me. I saw many HMC patients who would never walk or talk again, and in some cases, who will never enjoy life again. Those experiences made me realize how lucky I am to be in college and how important it is to work extremely hard to complete a bachelor's degree. Everyday that I worked at HMC made me realize how God blessed me by giving me a healthy mind and body so that I could make a difference in someone else's life. That's why I enjoy volunteering so much.

If I could say one thing about Penn State, it would be that my educational experiences while in college have allowed me to grow into a hardworking, responsible and honest person. These past few years at University Park has given me a chance to think about my future and my responsibility as a student. Volunteering has been a means for me to take responsibility for enhancing the quality of my education and to help others accomplish their goals. Unexpectedly, I have been the beneficiary of those volunteering efforts as well. My immediate plans are to graduate and find a suitable position that fulfills my needs in the Health Policy & Administration field. Because of my Penn State experience and the people who have helped me along the way, I know that I will be successful in reaching my goals. Taking responsibility for your actions is the key to success in the future, regardless of where you are in life—in the beginning of a new journey or at the end of a wonderful accomplishment.

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