Chrismine Brun

UConn School of Nursing, Class of 2016

I was born and raised in Stamford, CT. Coming from a strong Haitian background, I combined my American culture along with my fluency in Haitian-Creole to volunteer at a community church youth group program in my hometown. My volunteer work not only included teaching choreography to those who loved to dance, but to also providing lower income adults with affordable extracurricular activities for themselves and their children. Through my work, I also educated young people on how to stay healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally via stress mechanisms, dancing sessions, and meditation.

I sought involvement in UST because it will provide me the opportunity not only to give back to a specific community, but also to put my knowledge of health care into practice. Although the experience with UST will strengthen my skills in providing health care services through practice, the biggest impact the program will have will be the knowledge that I have helped an underserved population access health care and health care information when most times they cannot. Although I wish to be an APRN in Family Medicine, I believe prevention is more crucial than treatment. While it is important to focus on individual health outcomes, making a difference within an entire community sets up a brighter future in health status in later generations if the efforts continue.