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Student Spotlight: Hetal Patel SPREADING PURPLE PRIDE ACROSS THE GLOBE Hetal’s interest in the lives of those from other, usually more impoverished, countries spans beyond learning about their culture to improving their lifestyle and helping those in need. She hopes to spend her first summer after medical school volunteering in Dharamsala, India at Tong-Len. Hetal originally inquired
Patel studyi ng
abroad in In dia
in 2012.
Many students dream of traversing the globe and making a difference in the lives of numerous people from countries throughout the world. Hetal Rajesh Patel, a senior Biology major and Religious Studies minor, has achieved this goal by making her way to 14 countries. Hetal has travelled to Northern India with the Study Abroad program Exploring Sacred Places led by Dr. Derek Maher. While on her travels, she learned about Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and the Bahai faith. She never believed she would go from living in Cary to seeing the wonders of the world, including the Great Wall of China. Hetal’s adventures have taken her whitewater rafting in the Ganges River and given her the opportunity to listen to the Dalai Lama speak. On a trip to India her first summer after freshman year, she decided to minor in Religious Studies. After immersing herself into new religions and cultures, she realized how much she was unaware of and wanted to continuing learning about religions and cultures.
nts there Tong Len Hostel with some of the stude
about ECU’s Honors College when her brother was enrolled, not knowing that one day she would be graduating from ECU in three years as an Honors student with Early Assurance to Brody Medical School. Her calling in Primary Care strengthened after taking part in the ECU Primary Care Physician’s Shadowing Program and immersing herself within the possibilities of a future career changing lives for the better. While volunteering at the Vidant Children Emergency Center, Hetal became aware of her passion to help others and decided to make helping others a major component of the rest of her life. Her commitment to serving others and taking the role of a leader encompasses the values of East Carolina’s mission statement. Hetal is a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma service sorority, Phi Kappa Phi honor society, and Vice President of Service for Omicron Delta Kappa.
me picture with so tel posing for a Tong Len Hos l. hoste that attend the of the children
She volunteers at Pitt Literacy Center, Habitat for Humanity, is a Pirate-toPirate mentor, and works at Pirate Tutoring Center helping students with General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Hetal’s excellence has been recognized numerous times throughout her college career. She has been awarded the Pirate Alumni Scholarship and Freshman General Chemistry Award, recognition on the Chancellor’s List, and the Thomas Rivers Scholarship allowing her to travel to China with a USDA Cotton Research Grant. After graduating from medical school and helping impoverished people in India, Hetal hopes to save enough money to travel the world for a year and continue to broaden her horizons.
Patel studying ab road in China in
2013.
The Honors College, 101 Mamie Jenkins Building, Greenville, NC 27858 | 252-328-6373 | www.ecu.edu/honors/