Name: Neelam

Year: Senior

Major: Economics

Minor: Global Health and BIP

CFS Program: Field Studies in Social Justice

As a student studying public health, I am constantly reminded that the state of health in America is anything but acceptable. For too long, the United States health care system has focused on treating people after they become sick instead of preventing diseases before they occur. Investing in disease prevention is the most logical, effective way to improve health outcomes. I chose to work with Yellow Tractor, a local social enterprise that promotes health and wellness, because it is working to address this public health crisis and spread wellness to the community one garden at a time. But as I prepared to intern at a start-up, I couldn’t help but wonder how much impact I would actually be making.

Start-up environments are unpredictable, to say the least. The work culture encourages open communication, creativity and a go-with-the-flow attitude. No two days were ever the same. I experienced everything from drafting research briefs and collaborating with the other interns on projects to organizing thousands of donated plants and having my lunch eaten multiple times by the CEO’s dog. While I had my fair share of days in the office, there were also several days where I got to go out into the community and see how Yellow Tractor gardens were making an impact. Being able to interact with the community members and see how they were able to incorporate wellness into their lives because of our efforts reminded me that the work I was doing was worthwhile.

As I finish up the last week of my CFS experience, I am taking away more than I ever would have expected. One of the themes that really tied together my internship experience and my classroom experience was think critically about policies and how effective they are at making positive change. My Field Studies in Social Justice class taught me to look beyond existing policies and analyze what really needs to occur in order to create sustainable change. Legislative policies, including those involving healthcare, aren’t always made with the long term in mind. Preventative medicine is going to take time to integrate into the American lifestyle. Organizations like Yellow Tractor are the catalyst for change that can empower individuals to take things into their own hands while we wait for policy reform. Overall, my experience has been enlightening and has allowed me to better understand the important role that non-profit organizations and start-ups play in the field of public health.