Olivia LaFontan

UConn School of Nursing, Class of 2018

I was born and raised in the town of Kent, CT, where my family owns and operates a small organic farm. I graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 2014 and I am currently a sophomore in the UConn School of Nursing.

I have volunteered as a church school leader in my home town for many years, where I helped educate and care for the children of my church each week. I also volunteered at my town library, where we would often hold special events for children and adults based on topics like personal healthcare or scientific disciplines. I am a member of the UCC UConn group on campus, a community outreach program that plans alternative spring break trips to provide aid to disaster-stricken communities. I currently work as a Personal Care Assistant for a local resident with a disability.

By participating in Urban Service Track, I hope to gain a better awareness of other cultures and social situations, so that I may become a more culturally-competent nurse. In order for me to become the best nurse I can be, I must first understand the beliefs, traditions and lifestyles of the people I am treating. I believe that a large proportion of medically underserved populations is comprised of new mothers who do not receive the prenatal and postnatal care that they need. I hope that the experience I gain through UST will help me to best serve this population in the field of Maternity and work toward resolving their lack of access to healthcare.