Noelle Albert

UConn School of Nursing

I was born and raised in Suffield, Connecticut, and am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at UConn’s School of Nursing.

I spent the summer of 2018 biking across the United States as part of Bike and Build. I and a group of 30 other young adults biked from state to state, slept in church basements and community centers, and joined with affordable housing groups across the nation to build homes for those in need. I was also able to fundraise over $5000 to sponsor the trip. I volunteer with Honors Across State Borders, where I attend bimonthly meetings on affordable housing and poverty, and plan alternative spring breaks. At UConn, I work as a Student Instructional Specialist: I work with an interdisciplinary group of ten peers to design programs teaching mentorship for the UConn Honors Program.

I sought involvement in the Urban Service Track because I believe it will help me combine my Nursing major and Anthropology minor into a cohesive educational background supporting a career in Global Health. To enact effective change in the health of a community, health care professionals must begin their inquiries by assuming the perspective of the community members as far as possible. We must strive to understand how their cultural beliefs have been shaped, how their practices impact health in their community, and what interventions would actually effect change. The UST’s community-centered approach to health care education is the ideal training for this approach.