I see keeping my grades up as an important part of being a student leader. Without academic success, you lose credibility in becoming a leader in society. Academic success, whether it should be or not, is equated to how smart you are. If you can excel academically, you then can find more people willing to support your efforts as a leader because society believes you are smart enough to succeed.

At UF, I found a potential obstacle to be the overwhelmingly large student-to-faculty ratio. This ratio tends to hinder discussions with faculty and makes it difficult to find the right people in the field of your interest. An approach I used in resolving this problem was to do what everyone else wasn’t. That means if a teacher said to come during the set office hours, I would arrange for another time. This facilitated a greater understanding of the material as well as an opportunity for the professor to get to know me. Basically, you must take an active rather than a passive role in your education if you want to be on top.

Staying Steady
Although I came to UF planning to become a doctor, I found my interests grew to encompass more aspects of the medical field. My interest in health policy began when I worked in Senator Bob Graham’s office under the guidance of Yale University’s Dr. Howard Forman. The following semester at school, I started becoming more aware of the AIDS epidemic devastating many countries, particularly India. Therefore, it seemed ideal for me to find a program that would allow me to explore health policy geared towards eradicating AIDS. When I researched the opportunities, I found that many of the internships seemed too commercialized, spending money on giving volunteers souvenirs of their trip rather than allocating funds to the victims at need. Finally, I came across a program with a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Kamathipura, India that seemed a perfect fit for me. This NGO focused on helping AIDS victims that lived in the red-light areas of India.

In the United States, I never really considered the consequences of working with AIDS patients but rather embraced the opportunity to help a specific population that wasn’t receiving enough aid. This thinking drastically changed when I arrived at the shelter in India. There were children covered with lesions, rashes, and scrapes all over their bodies. The toll of AIDS on these children could be easily seen from their bodies and their hampered movements. I witnessed the power of AIDS to decimate human populations and began to worry about the position I put myself in.

I became more determined to make a profound impact in the lives of these children hoping to prove through my story when I returned to the U.S. that we all could make a difference. That summer, I witnessed some of the worst atrocities I have ever seen.

A major concern of mine is to eliminate this trafficking trade that sends a plethora of adolescent girls from countries bordering India into prostitution. This leads to a life replete with misery as girls suffer from AIDS, gang rapes, and malnutrition. In India, I taught English to many of these adolescent girls and became very close to them. We must take a greater role in punishing those who participate in trafficking as well as making funds available for the rescue of these innocent girls.

Cents of Relief reminded me to persevere in times of adversity. At times, when I tried raising money for the organization, it seemed virtually impossible to convince anyone to spare a few cents for our organization. Yet, I continued to ask those reluctant to donate and convinced them that Cents of Relief would use their funds for people in dire need of help. One person who refused to donate even a dollar wound up contributing $1,000 due to my perseverance. The more I worked at the mission of Cents of Relief, the more I believed in the cause. If you truly believe in your cause, then it will be easier to persevere.

A Centered Stance
Without the mentors in my life, I wouldn’t have been in the position I am today. When Dr. Kenneth Berns, who at the time was the Vice-President of Health Affairs at UF, permitted me to work in his lab involved with gene therapy, he gave me the opportunity to observe one of the best scientists in the world.

Dr. Howard Forman, director of the MD/MBA program at Yale University, was my mentor in Senator Bob Graham’s office. Dr. Forman displayed a contagious passion for his work that made me excited to help him in any way possible with the prescription drug bill. Furthermore, he demonstrated to me the benefits of analyzing legislation from an economic standpoint. Because of his influence, I pursued an economics degree and aspire to become a health policy-maker on an international level. I hope to do some of the wonderful things that Dr. Forman has already accomplished in his lifetime.

The Florida College Student of the Year Award allows me the opportunities to be a mentor to other students and to serve as an ambassador for the state in terms of education. It gives me a chance to bring key issues to the forefront of the state legislators. For example, after I challenged Gov. Bush in my acceptance speech to improve the conditions for AIDS victims, he e-mailed me the next day asking me to come meet with him and his Secretary of Health to discuss AIDS initiatives. This award gives you the chance to meet other students who are motivated by the very same things that drive you as well as open the door for future opportunities.

This fall, I plan to pursue a medical degree at Yale University, then enroll in an MBA program. Ultimately, I hope to return to India’s red-light district and treat patients there. At the same time, I wish to see Cents of Relief grow and turn into the world’s largest anti-trafficking organization, providing an option for girls other than prostitution. With God’s graces, I hope when I’m done with life, I can be remembered as the person who prevented the trafficking of young girls into a profession that is the root of their health problems.

Contact Patel at anupaap@ufl.edu.