Jennifer Yik

UConn School of Nursing Class of 2014

My interest in caring for and working with urban populations stems from my birthplace. I was born in New Haven, Conn. – a city renowned for its dangerous crime rates and high population of the underserved. My parents own a convenience store in one of the poorer areas in this city. While working at the store in the summers, I like to interact and talk to many of the disadvantaged people in the community. My interest has motivated me to pursue various opportunities that have allowed me to closely work with urban populations. I volunteered at AIDS Project New Haven which is an organization that helps raise awareness and provides support services to those affected by HIV. I met many fascinating people who opened up to me and told me their stories. This experience opened my eyes and allowed me to understand the issues the underserved face on a more personal level. In UST, I hope to take it to the next level and actually learn to solve some of the health care issues people face and provide direct patient care. It will also be an amazing opportunity to learn from and work with an interprofessional team. This will offer me perspectives and knowledge from all different medical professions, which will help me provide better care to those we are dedicated to serving in UST.