Perspectives Spring 2015

PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2015 30 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT Orlando As philanthropy chair of NSU’s Physician Assis- tant Student Government Association in Orlando, I was determined to organize a plethora of events our students would enjoy participating in over the course of our program. Our class members are special because we are dedicated to becoming not only successful PAs, but also are enthusiastic about giving back to our community. I have never been a part of such a wonderful group of people who are willing to contribute several hours out of their day, even while studying a tortuous amount of difficult material, just to service their community. I remember one of the most valuable events I participated in during my undergraduate career at The University of Florida. Every couple of weeks a group of students would get together to go grocery shopping in order to prepare a meal for the resi- dents at local Ronald McDonald Houses in Gainesville. We cooked anything from Mexican to Italian food and always had fun while doing it. Many students love to give back, and most of the time, they don’t even have to know why they are dedicating their precious time as long as they know it is for a good cause. As a volunteer at any Ronald McDonald House, you may request a tour of the facility that enables you to see the rooms of the house as well as the resources that family members have access to. In addition, your tour guide will usually give you a synopsis of what the Ronald Mc- Donald House does to help families in need as well as answer any questions you may be pondering. So what do Ronald McDonald Houses do? By Michelle McCarroll, Class of 2016 Student SGA Activities Coordinator and Philanthropy Chair CLASS OF 2016 ...a class with heart “Well known for altruism, empathy, and philanthropy, several students jumped at the opportunity to lend a helping hand when I first announced the availability to volunteer at a local Ronald McDonald House.”