class notes Melissa Gillooly '00: Mappenstance and the Road to a Rwandan Mealth Clinic In her "Schooling in America" course at Trinity, Melissa Gillooly '00 began to see firsthand the disparities that exist in society during her tutoring hours at local l-lartford-area schools. As a neuroscience major, though, she became particularly interested in the community components of courses that brought her to neighborhood health care facilities, such as Hartford Hospital and the Institute for Living. "These experiences opened my eyes... to how access to quality health care throughout a lifetime plays a fundamental role in determining not only one's general well being, but also determining people's livelihood and ability to play a contributing role in society," says Gillooly, who has been working in Rwanda for Partners in Health (PIH) since 2005. Currently living in a rural Rwandan village, Gillooly says that despite what she saw during her experiences in the Hartford community, nothing compares to the hardships of life in this African country. "On a daily basis here I meet kids who are not in school because their family could not afford the $20 for their school uniform ... or their fami lies need them to carry out the daily chore of walking five kilometers to fetch water and therefore do not see the value in sending them to school," explains Gillooly in an e-mail from Rwanda. "I have witnessed tired mothers walking for hours to bring their infant ta the health center and in too many cases these mothers have waited tao long to seek help.... I have witnessed these same mothers watch as their child needlessly dies before them from diseases that are both preventable and curable." Although happenstance played a role in connecting Gillooly with PIH, a non-profit organization that seeks to provide a preferential option to the poor with clinics in some of the world's poorest areas, she had been waiting for the opportunity to pursue her interest in, and dedication to, issues of health care. Just a couple years out of Trinity, Gillooly was feeling unfilled in her job at an Internet company that produced health education Web sites. She had thought about an MSW or Ph.D. program in clinical care, but still not yet ready to go back to school, she set up an interview at a sports management company. There, as she sat across the table from the company's CEO discussing how her interest in health would correlate well with his business, he
realized that he may have a better match for her interests. A board member of PIH, the CEO instead brought her to meet Paul Farmer, the organization's founder. After working as Farmer's assistant for a number of years, Gillooly first went to Rwanda in April 2005 to help with some of the logistics of setting up Pl H's first project in Africa. She was so moved by the country and the work there that she returned with her with her boyfriend and fellow Trinity graduate, Christian Allen '00, who began working on an open source electronic medical record system to be used by the project and the Rwandan government. Now serving as project manager of the PIH Rwanda project, Gillooly explains that the unpredictability of her work in Africa can range from helping facilitate a meeting with partners in the Ministry of Health or other NGOs, later that same day, negotiating with local distributors to ensure enough infant formula for all their sites. With a clear passion for her work, Gillooly explains the frustration is that there "just never seems to be enough resources or time to truly change the devastating affects of poverty and disease." But, at the same time, she says, "every single day I get to see the results of our work with each of the individual cases and changes that are being made within the community." And for Gillooly, being out there in the community and seeing the results of change firsthand, whether in Rwanda or Hartford, Connecticut, has always been the most inspiring experience.
by Carlin Ca rr 66
TRINITY REPORTER
I
spring 07
for the occasion!) . In other news, Elizabeth Digiando recently got married in Wellesley, MA, with many of the same Trin folks in attendance, including George and Katie Smith, Renee Vanna, Alissa Sexton and Jeff and Erin Ginsburg. who are expecting their first baby (any minute now!) . Three generations of Trinity alums celebrated the wedding of Amanda Leeson Miles to Brodie Miles on Jw1e 24, 2006, in Wellesley. MA. Trinity alums in attendance were: Greg Pagnini, George Smith, Amy Tufts l=iloon, Kira Zaiger '99, Adam Goldkamp, Erin Caplice, Melissa Gillooly, Dix Leeson ' 7 0 , Bud Tibbals '40, Christian Allen, Lewis Chewning ' 04, Meriden Daly ' 04, Katie Sutula Smith, Ned Prevost ' 67, and Megan Hurley." Teddy Kane is working at a real estate investment firm in Denver. Finally. Alex l=leming and Michael Healey recently visited me in Wilmington back in January. Both are in the business school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and doing very well. Mike graduates this spring. That's all for now. Please send your Trinity class news to me anytime at Loutit@aol.com. Have a great summer.
BETH KHALIL '00 and HENRY PEABODY '00 were married on September 9, 2006, in Boston , MA . Trinity olumni/ae in attendance were: (I. to r.) Borden Painter '58, Bevan Talbott '00, Richard Sheldon '00, groom , bride, Peter Blackstone '00, Mo ira Kelley '00, Michael Smith '81 , Anne Smith '81 , Sarah Gordon '00, John Sartorius '99, Matthew Sharnoff '00.
JULIE PLAGENHOEF '00 and Evan Seifert were married on August 18, 2006, in CT. Trinity alumni/ae in attendance were : (I. to r.) Abby Day '00, Stephanie Kota Shamy '00, Rob Churchwell '00, groom , Josh Schelling '00, bride , Doris Short '00, Maria Campos Barker '00, end Elisabeth Healey Zimmer '00.