Volunteer – College Admission at Loyola

Lab Work at Rush University Medical Center

By | November 2, 2015

Starting summer of this year, I became a lab assistant (volunteer) at Rush University Medical Center in the Pediatrics Department. I wanted to gain more experience in the hospital setting (different from patient care areas), learn more medical terminology, familiarize myself with scientific laboratory equipment, and get more connections to doctors, researchers, nurses, and more. Since Rush University Medical Center is a teaching hospital, I hoped that I would be able to get a basic idea of what medical school is like by being around medical students.

Inside the laboratory, we have done a study on the effects of osteoarthritis and general arthritis by looking at the interaction of cells of the joints of lab mice. (Yes, children may get arthritis at a young age, too.) It is very interesting to see how different cells interact and it is even cooler to see the cells in different colors (dyes) under a high-powered microscope.

To view the slides under the microscope, I have learned how to make them from scratch. I can put the specimen in liquid parafilm and create blocks. Using a very precise blade, enclosed inside a machine, I can cut the blocks into very thin slices to be placed on the slide (micrometers thin).

This Friday, I am returning back to Rush as a lab assistant. I hope to have more fun and learn more about different topics. I look forward to the many things to come. 🙂

2015 Bear Tie Ball – Let’s Eliminate Pediatric Cancer!

By Stephanie Rodriguez | January 19, 2015

I had to wait until this week to tell you all about the biggest event for Bear Necessities Pediatric Foundation 2015! Every year, Bear Necessities hosts an event called 2015 Bear Tie Ball. This year the theme is Latin Nights, to take place on Saturday February 28th at 6pm in Union Station. I am looking forward to this event for I have heard great things about it. If you didn’t know, Bear Necessities is “[a] Chicago based national organization dedicated to eliminating pediatric cancer & to providing hope and support to those who are touched by it.”

I want to share with you this great opportunity in which your attendance will demonstrate support on eliminating pediatric cancer. I feel so blessed to be an intern for this organization, and I cannot wait for this event! I am so excited to meet so many people and this event’s Emcee will be a Former Chicago Bear, Anthony Adams! So, save the date. I will be posting more information and details as we approach the date!

Meanwhile, we will be in charge of making sure everything goes as planned! I have seen the time and dedication that these people put into this organization, and I know that it will be anything less than perfect. 🙂

Thank you to all of the sponsors who continue to donate money for a great cause. This event is for all and you can purchase the tickets on the link below!

Click the link for more information.

Addy the Sergeant

By Stephanie Rodriguez | November 30, 2014

All the elderly veterans that I have met at my job have been male and this shouldn’t be a surprise. After five years, I finally got to meet an elderly woman who was once a Sergeant Chief. I found this extraordinary since back then only males joined the army, navy, and air-force. Even though, she doesn’t talk anymore all of her pictures in her room do her hard work justice. She has many photographs of her in her uniform and with many other women, who fought to save our country.

I found this important to share because these recognitions are not ones that you see every day. She was one of the first women to join the army since it wasn’t until the 1917s that women were given the opportunity to join the army in the first place. I can only imagine the hardships she went through from being a women, but regardless of it all she stuck through it. Her daughter remembers her as a strong, confident, but sweet lady. She said that she was very proud of her achievements and all the recognitions she received.

Today, double standards, between men and women, still exist. This is why I think it’s important to note how much impact women had in the army, as well. I cannot believe that my job continues to enlighten me each day. This is why I would love to continue working in the medical field! It is very rewarding to be able to take care of a woman who once fought for the country I, we, live in.

Everyday should be Veterans Day.

Volunteer!

By | November 20, 2013

One of my favorite things about attending a Jesuit institution is it’s important value, “service to others.” It seems like there are infinite volunteer opportunities at Loyola, whether they be posted online or posted on bulletin boards throughout the many buildings. Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life, so I was excited Loyola had so many great opportunities.

One of the first organizations I became involved in at Loyola was Loyola4Chicago. Loyola4Chicago is a program that recruits students to perform weekly volunteer services at a number of different sites. These sites include Big Brothers Big Sisters, volunteering at homeless shelters, and volunteering at a home for people with developmental disabilities, to name a few. My freshman year, I volunteered at a school that had an afterschool program called Teen REACH. I offered homework help as well as assisted in different life skills enrichment activities. My sophomore year I volunteered at Misericoridia, which is a home for people with developmental disabilities. I would hang out with the residents and help them to knit or work on different art projects. Both experiences were incredibly rewarding, and I am grateful that I was able to help those in need.

There are numerous other volunteer opportunities available through Loyola. One way to find out about these opportunities is to search on RamblerLink; RamblerLink is Loyola’s online job, internship, and volunteer database. Another way is to navigate through Loyola’s Center for Service and Action website. This website lists ongoing volunteer projects as well as one time volunteer projects. The opportunities to volunteer in the city of Chicago are endless, whether it be volunteering at an animal shelter, volunteering with kids, or volunteering with people with developmental disabilities. I am so thankful I attend an organization that values service as much as I do!

Back to School, Back to School…

By | September 9, 2012

It’s early September and that’s my favorite time in Chicago… that transition from summer to fall where the weather is not too hot, but still cool enough to wear shorts and sandals. I am making the most out it, trying to get as much as I can in before it gets cold. Whether it be basking in the sun at Oak Street Beach, studying at Millenium Park, or walking the few blocks to Sprinkles to get the cupcake of the day. Actually, the cold weather wont stop me from doing that last one.

Although I am in denial about it, we have actually started classes. This fall, I’m taking 18 credit hours, so 6 classes, and I’m actually really excited about them. Now that I’m a junior, I am able to take a ton of classes for my social work major. My two favorite classes would have to be my cultural diversity class and my human behavior class. I have great professors who are very hands on and extremely intelligent. The subject matter is very interesting to me, as well.

I will be extremely busy with homework and studying from all my classes, but besides that, I will also be busy with clubs and organizations. I’m in Chi Omega Fraternity, Pre-Law Society, Psychology Club and the School of Social Work Student Organization. There’s so many great clubs and organizations at Loyola, its hard to narrow it down to just a few. I want to join everything!

I’m also going to volunteer at a middle school with at risk students. I did this when I was a freshman, and it was such a rewarding experience. I helped them with their homework and just hung out with them for a few hours after school. It was a great experience and it will definitely help me for my future endeavors. I’m looking forward to volunteering there again this year!

Besides all of that, I plan on taking in everything Chicago has to offer. There are always a ton of free events, and I always try to take advantage of those as much as possible. (“Like” Free things to do in Chicago on facebook) I’m really excited about my classes, volunteering, and the organizations I’m in, so I know this going to be a great semester!

Volunteering Pays Off In The End

By | December 7, 2011

While in high school I volunteered randomly in my community because it looked good on college applications or because people always would say, “it’s a good thing to do.”

Ever since coming to Loyola though I have found myself volunteering much more for no reason other than I just want to. Why the sudden change you ask? Well I attribute most of it to the amazing friends I have made in college. My friends are constantly brainstorming new ideas for service work such as mission trips, fundraisers, and how to recruit people to help out at the soup kitchens.

Christmas On Campus was one of these events that my friends founded and somehow convinced me to help out with. It was this past Saturday and it was such a success! This was the first annual Christmas On Campus so no one knew exactly what to expect.

How many kids will show up? How often should we have a group perform on stage? Will the Loyola student volunteers ditch? How are we going to deal with upset children?

These, along with countless others, were all questions we were asking ourselves up until about 11:00 a.m. Saturday when the volunteers started arriving. To my surprise everything went very smoothly and we had tons of people come out for the event! The gym was full of awesome Christmas decorations (which we had stayed up till 3 the night before putting up) and the children looked so happy.

I will admit, Friday night at about 2:00 a.m. after about 4 hours of decorating and setting up I was questioning my decision to join my friends in administrating this project. It was taking a lot of time and effort that I easily could have put into school work or other leisure activities.

Once Saturday morning came around though, I knew I was grateful for the opportunity to help with the event. The Christmas cheer that I saw in these children’s faces and the enjoyment of everyone in the gym was amazing. It was the coolest feeling to know that I helped make it possible.

I am already looking forward to Christmas On Campus next year and have some ideas on how to improve it!

Alex Bosech and Nic Herman on stage at Christmas On Campus

A Little About Me

By | November 3, 2011

Hey everyone! My name’s Kaia and I am a sophomore here at Loyola. I’m from a small town about fifteen minutes out of Cleveland, Ohio. By small, I mean graduated from high school with 60 kids small. I would see the same people every day, from kindergarten all the way to twelfth grade. You could say it was quite the transition when I came to Loyola and saw hundreds of new faces every day!

I’m planning to get my bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology. I hope to go on to law school and become some kind of child advocacy attorney or divorce attorney.

I am absolutely obsessed with the city of Chicago. How awesome to spend your college years in one of the greatest cities in America? You are never at a loss for things to do! I’m not gonna lie… I can definitely do some damage on Michigan Avenue. It’s fantastic for my wardrobe, but not so much for my wallet…

Other than shopping, I love sports, specifically Cleveland sports. The Cavs are my absolute favorite, but unfortunately the NBA lockout is keeping them from me right now, and to say I’m a little sad is an understatement. I’m slowly getting converted into a Chicago sports fan, though.

I also am a huge foodie; I’d go out to eat every day if I could. Two of my Chicago faves would have to be Giordano’s pizza and a small restaurant a block from my residence hall, Thai Grill. Delicious!

I love to volunteer, as well. I currently volunteer with developmentally disabled adults as well as at risk students in the inner city. It’s incredibly rewarding and a great experience!

So that’s a little about me… I’m loving Loyola and the city of Chicago, and it can only get better!