Meet the New United Planet Alumni Council!

United Planet is excited to welcome its newest Alumni Council – congratulations to Nesha Usmani, Kate LeGrand, Audra Borden, and Gloria Wells! Now you may be asking yourself, what exactly is the Alumni Council? And why should I care? Well, the Alumni Council is an elite group of past volunteers who develop and implement activities that support the United Planet alumni community. Council members also brainstorm and execute ideas focused on improving Quests and the overall volunteer experience. For instance, a past Alumni Council suggested adding a Volunteer Mentor Program that connects prospective volunteers with alumni who have participated in Quests of interest. Now a thriving program, potential volunteers are able to gain a better understanding through hearing first-hand alumni experiences. The new members have diverse backgrounds and experiences with United Planet.

After graduating from The Ohio State University in 2011, Nesha Usmani spent 6 months on the Teaching Quest in Indonesia. What was the most fulfilling part of her quest? “I enjoyed learning the language and spending time with the kids at my school,” explains Usmani.  As a volunteer, Usmani went above and beyond during her Quest. Back home, she persuaded family to fundraise for her elementary school in Indonesia. With this money, she bought new school furniture and various multimedia, and she even sponsored a new English curriculum. On top of this wonderful achievement, she was able to pay the tuition for two students. “I learned the value of helping other people. Living in an environment completely different from my own taught me to appreciate what I have and to have confidence in my abilities,” she explains. Usmani went abroad to help the elementary school, but the volunteer experience equally impacted her: “My quest gave me an interest in Public Health. I intend to pursue a Master’s in Public Health at University of Illinois at Chicago.”

On the other side of the world in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, fellow council member Kate LeGrand volunteered in the United Planet Healthcare Quest. LeGrand believed that the most rewarding part of the Quest was the beautiful balance of experiences: “I was able to get hands-on medical experience under the guidance of a local doctor, but also was touched by the kindness and generosity of the local Guatemalan people.” Before travelling with United Planet, LeGrand knew she was interested in becoming a professional in the medical field. However, since the Guatemala Quest, she has a more focused agenda: “I have developed a keen interest in not only direct patient care, but also the accessibility to healthcare in developing regions. Inspired by United Planet, my future plans of becoming a medical professional are rooted in cross-cultural understanding.”

Excited to join the Alumni Council, LeGrand plans to make a positive impact: “I hope to connect with other alumni to learn more about the United Planet community and to share stories about experiences abroad. I was able to see first-hand how a small gesture, such as teaching a child the proper way to use a toothbrush, can positively impact a whole community.  The Quest was an eye-opening and life-changing experience that encourages me to continue helping those in need and to encourage others to volunteer.”

Nearby, Audra Borden, another Alumni Council member, was volunteering in the small but vibrant community of Cai Cay, Peru. In the winter of 2012-13 with a group of 14 amazing people from the University of Idaho, Borden had an eye-opening quest experience: “My time in Peru was challenging, yet fulfilling in so many ways. The part that left the greatest impression on me was the local community’s willingness to see the positive in every situation and to expect the best of people.” Prior to embarking on her Peruvian adventure, Borden was considering a career in medicine for some time. She found her answers in the tiny Peruvian community: “Peru reinforced my passion for service and steered me towards a path in international medicine, specifically with a medical aid organization.” Borden is eager to connect with other alumni whose eyes have also been opened and changed by their experiences abroad. She explains, “By sharing our stories and experiences together, we can inspire hesitant individuals to take the next step towards volunteering abroad and exploring the world.”