Circle K International by Robert

Circle K International by Robert - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

Since I first began my collegiate journey as a freshman student attending the University of New Mexico (UNM) it was overwhelming what college had to offer. I came to New Mexico from California and found the transition to be quite difficult. Personally, I enjoyed the freedom aspect of university life, but was worried about how I would fit in with Albuquerque and other out of state students (considering it was my first semester). In addition, I was unsure about the numerous extracurricular opportunities college possessed for those enrolled. For some time I struggled to meet others and get involved with different organizations at my university. However, I found that branching out and communicating are quite important skills one must learn to develop at college. The longer I remained in Albuquerque the more comfortable I eventually became and the more relationships I developed. As a result, I began to get familiarized with some of the different student held organizations across campus. One of the clubs I joined was Circle K International (CKI), a sponsored leadership program of Kiwanis international.
The Circle K International society at the University of New Mexico is a rewarding organization that engages in numerous volunteer opportunities throughout the surrounding city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Weekly meetings are held in order to inform students of upcoming community events where volunteers are needed. After, students may be able to sign up online for the events they want to partake in. For instance, I volunteered at the famous Albuquerque Balloon Festival and found that this experience wasn’t just beneficial for the tourists but brought the city notoriety as well as economic support. By prompting student participation in volunteer work, members are given the ability to obtain greater experience and practice in helping others, preparing them for future careers in the workplace. Additionally, student volunteering helps aid event organizers. By completing minute, time-consuming tasks for different events within the Albuquerque community, organizers can devote more attention to parts of an event that matter most. Not only does CKI help the Albuquerque area, but this organization also possess representatives from many other nationwide schools, rather than just UNM, whom assist their own local communities.
Initially, I believed that I was only at UNM for one reason, to get good grades. In the future I would like to attend both pharmacy as well as medical school and hoped that academics alone would serve as great guidance and lay promising groundwork for what I aspire to achieve later in life. Since the beginning, I found that establishing connections are quite important to attaining success and gratification. By volunteering my time to this organization I have learned a great deal about the importance of teamwork and cooperation in a group setting. Additionally, I have seen first-hand how appreciative people are of our work throughout the community. The simple act of generosity has made me want to help my community and work to make their lives more enriched.
I have always had my mind set on graduating and going on too medical school where I can work every day to help save people who need help. Upon graduation, I would like to return to California and work within my community to help the people of this great state. I want to be the one who prolongs their life and make it so they can go home and spend memorable moments with their friends and family. This remains my sole purpose for wanting to pursue a career in the medical field. By getting involved with volunteer work early in college it has become apparent to me that I want that dream more than anything. Getting the chance to help people everyday would be a tremendous opportunity and would let me showcase my true passion for helping those in need.