Say hello to Miss. Liz Pinzka! This Scranton senior is the definition of secretly incredible. In between being an adaptive leader to tending to the developing world, if it weren’t for this interview you’d never know about the passion Liz pours into helping others. Go ahead and read on to discover even more about her huge heart of gold….
Name: Elizabeth (Liz) PinzkaYear: 2016Major: BiologyMinor: SpanishHometown: Line Lexington, PA
HC: How’d you first get involved with ISP (International Service Program) ? EP: I got involved with ISP my sophomore year. I was determined to go my first year, but the money seemed intimidating and my parents weren’t as supportive as I thought they would be. In the beginning of sophomore I was haunted by hearing all these great things about the previous trips. So… I actually applied without telling my parents!In May of sophomore year I embarked off to El Salvador! That was the first time I’ve left the country and the first time I’ve ever done an immersion trip! My eyes were opened to a lot of different things like social justice issues and poor living conditions. It is crazy to think I was only there for a week, but for the Salvadorans that is their whole life and they are still there. My world became really shook up. I continue to support the people I met even though I cannot experience going on that ISP trip again.
HC: But your ISP experience didn’t end there, correct?EP: My junior year I was asked to be a peer facilitator. I was so excited, I cried.
HC: How’d you take that honor in and come to peace with the fact that you were about to handle a huge responsibility?EP: After my El Salvador trip I thought a lot about how wanted be a peer facilitator. I just didn’t tell anyone because it didn’t feel right asking for it. The night before I was asked I remember talking to my friends. I told them how badly I want to lead a trip because for me doing service was obviously awesome, but I think brining others to do the service is more important. I love teaching what I learned to others so they can reach out to others, it is kind of like a ripple effect. That ripple effect was always a huge driving force that made me want to lead ISP. When I was asked to lead an ISP trip to Jamaica I really did not even think about it. It was an automatic YES.
HC: How much time and effort did you have to put into doing this?EP: Our meetings were two hours and for each meeting I spent four to six hours planning. I put a lot of research into my meetings. I tried to be creative and make sure I included things that people haven’t done on retreats. All the other ISP country leaders and I did have training last fall. The meetings were about two hours long also. We probably had six of them all together.
HC: How was your experience in Jamaica this summer?EP: Awesome, I was blown away by my group. Seeing them all interact with the people of Jamaica was beautiful, even in situations where I felt a little uncomfortable. For example at this orphanage for disabled called Missionaries of The Poor I feel emotionally strained. It was so inspiring watching my group go right ahead to pick up kids and play with them. I really reinforced my lessons El Salvador in Jamaica. Once again this ISP trip opened my eyes and I got to learn about a new culture. But most importantly, the people that I went with truly taught me a lot. I am so proud of them. I am glad I had the opportunity lead them and share my experience with them.
HC: So not only have you been all over the world with ISP, but you also keep you worldliness while at the University….EP: I actually tutor an Afghani couple! Signing up for tutoring, that was the last thing I would expect to happen. I started off needing the service hours for Spanish class. I thought I would be tutoring a Spanish-speaking individual. When I contacted the tutoring center, I went through 14 hours of training to teach reading and writing English. I had to learn my own language at such an extreme basic level. I would have never thought about these basics, we all just naturally talk. When I found out I was tutoring a couple I was super excited, but when I found out they were from Afghanistan, I did not know what to expect. I didn’t know anything about their culture; I didn’t know what language they spoke! It is so hard because if the tutee was Spanish, I’d obviously be able to know what my students are saying because I’m almost fluent. But when they speak in their native language, I have no clue what they’re saying. Plus they’re older too, I felt kind of awkward having authority over them. They have taught me so much about their culture. They tell me things about growing up in Afghanistan. The guy used to be physics professor, so he knows a lot about physics and chemistry
HC: Oh science, that is perfect because it is right up your ally! How old are they actually ?EP: Probably in their 50s ! They have been in the U.S. for 9 years; they used to live in Louisiana. They did know some English but because they always lived in U.S. Afghani communities there wasn’t a need to use it. But their kids know English just from watching cartoons. It is really cool that they are trying to learn on their own. They are very patient. Sometimes they can become a tad frustrated, but because they are so patient it has taught me to be more patient. They have even invited me to their home for dinner one night. It was gorgeous! They cooked tons of delicious native food. I love teaching them things about our culture.
HC: Do you work on campus?EP: Since freshman year I have worked at telecounseling in the admissions office. I call perspective high school students and invite them to come to Scranton. Right now I am working on the information sessions in each student targeted area. Telecounseling hosts these session in different places such as Philly, New Jersey and New York so potential students don’t have to travel far from home to learn about the University of Scranton. I have a blast sharing my love for Scranton and explaining why I chose Scranton.
HC: Wait, you’re missing an important part of you working there, Liz!EP: Oh…. just got promoted to supervisor! I train people and work behind the scenes. I’m the bridge between the admissions counselors and the students who work there. I do a lot of numbers and statistical stuff.
HC: So you’re basically the glue of telecounseling. Do you have any plans after gradating this year?EP: I am applying for PA (physician’s assistant) programs right now. A PA is exactly what it sounds like, it is an assistant to a doctor. They can write prescriptions, diagnose patients, and help on surgeries. They just have to work under a doctor, but they have tons of freedom. I love the aspect of working as a team with a doctor. The application process has been really intimidating you need a certain number of hours with hands on patients. To accomplish this I’ve been work at a nursing home on the dementia floor. I work as a nurse’s aid, so my job is to care of them. If it is the morning, I will wake them up, help them get dressed, help them eat breakfast. Or if I am on the night shift, I help them get ready for bed. Interacting with dementia patients at first was really scary because vie never done anything like this before. I didn’t know how to approach them. But, I have grown to love them. They’re all so friendly and cute. I believe the good thing about working with the elderly is that they are content with their lives because they have fully lived. They remember the past really well so they will tell me many stories! One lady grew up in Germany and worked on a farm. One guy worked with computers when they were first invented. The patients are lonely, just sitting and listening with them is huge. Their memory of the past is strong, but they just don’t really know what is going on right now. Sometimes they can snap out of it, their eyes will get really clear and they ask what has happened. It is sad and weird. In the nursing home there is a couple who has been married for 70 years. The wife has dementia, but the man doesn’t. He takes care of her, it is basically a Nicholas Sparks novel. Another resident, who might be my favorite, will sit by the window and watch her husband walk in our village. Then she’ll proceed to wheel herself up to the door so she will be there when he walks in her door.
HC: To wrap things up, you had an interesting job that most college students would never even think of doing. Want to tell us a little bit more about that?EP: Since my dad was young, he actually worked for a bindery called Fox Group. During my sophomore year of high school I started working there. Describing the bindery is hard to explain, but basically there are many longs machines. My job is to put paper products through those long machines. Some things I make are shampoo samples tor drug information pamphlets for pharmaceutical companies. I am definitely the youngest person to work there. I get such a real- world experience. I have met many interesting people. One lady who worked there was an El Salvador native! so when I went to El Salvador I told her all about it. She even made me a native Salvadorian dish called pupusas!
Are you interested in going on an ISP trip?Attend one of the Information Sessions to Find out More!Friday 9/18 at 3:00 PM in DeNaples 405Sunday 9/20 at 8:15 in DeNaples 405Tuesday 9/22 at 11:30 AM in DeNaples 405Wednesday 9/23 at 8:30 PM in DeNaples 405