Meet Megha Patel

Year: Junior

Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2020

Major: Biological Sciences, pre-medical track

Agency: AMURTEL Greece

Social issue: Refugee Relief, Accessible Healthcare for Women/Children

Location of service: Athens, Greece

• What would you tell others who were thinking of applying for the Moellership program?
  • Although the process of applying for the Moellership program may seem exhaustive and daunting at first, reflect on your past experiences and current passions, and find an agency that encompasses your beliefs (there is one out there!) Writing and speaking about a cause you care deeply about makes the amount of effort required for Moellership feel like a breeze, and is most definitely worth it!
• What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
  • I'm looking forward to working towards a cause I feel passionately about, making an impact in the lives of the people I experience, and learning as much as possible from the people I meet throughout my time in Greece! I am so excited to immerse myself into the local community and listen to the experiences of people with different backgrounds and cultures.
• What about this summer makes you nervous?
  • I am a little nervous about residing in a foreign country for eight weeks! Although I have past experience in international travel, I have never been abroad for more than 2-3 weeks, and I have never travelled abroad independently. I am, however, very excited for this opportunity and to see how much I can grow and learn from this experience!
• How did you first get involved with your service?
  • When I travelled to Greece in 2015, in the midst of the economic and refugee crisis, I realized that there there was a huge deficiency in resources and supplies, specifically accessible and affordable healthcare services, for the incoming refugee population. I have always felt passionately about women and children advocacy, and I was fortunate enough to find AMURTEL Greece, an agency that encompasses all of my beliefs and values in service.
• Career goal(s)/post-graduation plans:
  • After graduation, I plan on attending medical school and getting involved in healthcare policy to become an advocate for underserved populations, both domestically and internationally. I also plan on focusing my attention towards gender-based violence and discrimination against women, and hope to elicit long-term change through policy.
• What is your proudest accomplishment?
  • My proudest accomplishment, thus far, is receiving Moellership! I have struggled a lot in the past with feelings of not being good enough or not performing well academically, which has been an uphill battle. I have worked hard to become proud of myself and confident in my abilities, and applying for Moellership was a very big step in placing myself out there to begin what I hope to accomplish in the future.
• What is something you can't live without?
  • My 10 year old little sister, Anisha, is the light of my life and my entire world. I absolutely cannot imagine my life without her!
• What is something that you wish you could take with you on your trip and why?
  • I wish I could bring my mother with me to Greece, partially because I know she loves to travel and experience different places, but mostly because of her phenomenal cooking abilities. There is no better food that exists than my mother's food. Also, iced coffee.
• Most inspirational thing in your life so far:
  • My parents, Varsha and Shailesh, have been the most inspirational people in my life, they have sacrificed so much to give my sisters and I the opportunity to obtain a higher education, and have created a supportive environment for us to thrive and succeed. I am so grateful and inspired by their selflessness, humbleness, and unconditional love for others.
• Top Values:
  • I could list an entire novel of my top values, but I would say my top three would include acceptance, benevolence, and commitment.
• Last Book Read:"Next Year in Havana" by Chanel Cleeton