When I heard that there was a brand new student chapter of Doctors Without Borders (DWB) here at DU, I instantly knew I needed to write a profile on this fabulous club and opportunity.
Doctors Without Borders Executive Board
DWB is an international nonprofit that works on providing medical care and health infrastructure in developing and conflict-stricken areas. “They’re making the world a better place,” third-year Regina Pierce told me one sunny day outside of the library. Regina is a friend of mine double-majoring in biochemistry and sociology. She’s the founder and president of the DU Chapter which just earned its license to be an official club last week. When I asked her what her connection to DWB was, she said, “[it] is the entire reason I want to be a doctor someday.”
Talk to any member, executive board or not, about this club and their eyes light up. Maria Rios Gomez, another friend and third year, explained that “the most important part [of starting DWB] for us is forming a pre-med community that’s a little tighter-knit.” Maria is currently a biology and French double-major with minors in chemistry and medical physics. She’s the treasurer of the club and also aspires to be a doctor someday. “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor and knowing I can go out in the world and make a bigger impact with communities that don’t have access to these things due to uprisings, due to poverty, I’m really interested in that.”
What if you’re not on the pre-med track?
Something was holding me back from signing up though. I’ve known both Regina and Maria since our freshmen year and watching your friends get really excited and passionate about a cause it one of the best things to witness in the world. My issue? I’m not a pre-med student. I’m really, really bad at science and used to panic during high school dissection assignments. I thought, where do I fit in?
Turns out, Doctors Without Borders goes far beyond the medical personnel. In fact, I was shocked when Regina said, “the vast majority of people who work for Doctors Without Borders are not medical-related at all.” There are tons of jobs related to simply managing the organization, marketing, and being a cultural liaison for local people the doctors interact with.
Tabling in Olin
The club is no different. Regina and Maria said they’re looking for people from any major who are passionate about upholding the DWB mission of giving assistance to the people and places that need it most. The club has a particular interest in attracting business majors, who, as Maria said, “could use the experience in turning a profit.” Regina admitted, “I’ve just been having trouble finding those people and reaching out to them because I’m a STEM major, and it seems like a lot of my social circles are STEM majors.”
So, regardless if your dream is to become a doctor, an accountant, a diplomat, or a graphic designer, there’s a place for you both within DWB’s careers, and certainly within the club.
The Meetings
The club meets every Friday at 4 pm in Sturm 210. In the first half of the meetings, they discuss current issues in global healthcare inequity. At their first meeting, they discussed a summit held by the World Health Organization on the international tuberculosis problem. Regina informed me that TB kills more people than any infectious disease and that the summit’s purpose was to strategize ways to combat the disease.
The second part of the meetings, they discuss events and fundraising efforts they are planning right here on campus to help support their parent organization. They love getting input from their members and hope to grow as a club to get as much input as possible.
That’s the heart of the club. “We raise awareness and also raise funds, educate people about what’s going on in the world,” Regina said, “It’s a way to encourage people to work for Non-Government Organizations, especially students because we’re the future generation of Doctors Without Borders.”
Maria added, “we really want to educate the community about what’s going on [in global healthcare], because I feel there’s still a lot of people who don’t know what DWB is.”
Information About Doctors Without Borders
Cupcakes for a Cause
The first big event the DWB club has planned is a bake sale. All profits will go towards supporting the DWB organization. The baked goods themselves? They’re all themed after things DWB helps address. Both Regina and Maria were excited to tell me about an idea their member Isaac came up with: blue chocolate chip pancakes to symbolize contaminated water. Clean water is the key to curing tons of preventable diseases around the world, so these tasty treats are a fun way to educate the community about that.
The bake sale will be held on October 29th, 30th, and 31st in front of Sturm in the mornings and Olin in the afternoons.
This is the perfect opportunity to get to know the members of DWB and learn more about the club and the organization itself. Plus, you get some delicious baked goods! Win, win!
If you want to get involved or have any further questions, please reach out to dwbstudentchapterdu@gmail.com.
Special congratulations to Regina Pierce, Maria Rios Gomez, and all the members of DWB for officially getting licensed as a DU Student Organization! We at HerCampus wish y’all all the best!