Hi! I’m Jhanvi Dasaka, a rising junior majoring in Neuroscience and Philosophy with a Chemistry Minor and Conceptual Foundations of Medicine Certificate. I hope to eventually attend medical school and become a physician. On campus, I’m involved with Student Government Board as a Communications Director, Blue and Gold Society, and Chi Omega as the incoming DEI Chair. In my free time, I love listening to all types of music (truly, all), going on long walks, cooking, reading, and watching movies. I am so grateful to the Pittsburgh community for the memories I’ve made, the experiences I’ve had, and all of the people I’ve been able to meet; so, I’m especially excited to hopefully give back to the community in a meaningful way this summer.
As a STEAM Ambassador at the Community Engagement Center, along with Sarah Memon, I hope to effect positive change for students in the Hill District. I am so grateful for my own education and the opportunities it has provided to me, and I hope our work enables more students to find their passions and have a fun, STEM-filled summer! I love working with children, and witnessing how excited and hopeful they are. In highschool, I volunteered with Camp Invention, and, more recently, have been tutoring elementary school students in math with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. A lot of my personal and professional goals are centered around strengthening community, and the way that a strong sense of community can improve our morale and quality of lives. I think that education and healthcare are two ways to build community, as they’re essential to wellness, and they help us to be our best selves.
I want to work in healthcare because it’s an opportunity to use ground-breaking science to care for people at their most vulnerable. Health, and healthcare, are a universal right and people deserve to feel well and cared for. As a physician, I hope to work with communities to increase health literacy, which I view as an intersection between my passion for education and health care, which will enable people to better care for and advocate for themselves.
In addition to being rewarding, I think my work as a STEAM Ambassador this summer will prepare me for my work as a physician, as education and medicine have similar abilities to shape minds and build people up. That’s why I was so excited to apply for, and receive, this position: it is the perfect amalgamation of my interests and future goals.
Stay tuned for updates as I start my summer of community engagement with the Hill District! And feel free to reach out with any thoughts 🙂