January 2017

We have returned from the holiday break and are hitting the ground running. We wrapped up the first block of the semester covering neuropharmacology and are already close to finishing the psychopharmacology block.

Otherwise, I have continued to work on construction projects around the city with Habitat for Humanity. This month, I was sent to a project in the upper section of the Carrollton neighborhood, where I worked on caulking, painting, and insulating a new home for a newly single mother. We had a small group of individual volunteers working on the project, but we were able to make a lot of progress towards finishing the exterior of the home. While I was working, I had a chance to talk with one of the supervisors of the project more about the requirements of the individuals or families receiving the homes, how the organization obtains many of its supplies, and on some of the ongoing projects in the city. Most of the families who are apply for a home from Habitat do so because they are unable to obtain a new loan for a house; however, Habitat requires that those receiving a home must be stably employed and contribute to over three hundred hours of “sweat equity”. This requires the individuals to work on building other houses with Habitat as a means of financing their new home. Obviously, this can be very challenging for a person who also works a full-time job and can take some time to accomplish. However, it does help propagate the work of the organization as well as establish a close community in those who have benefited from its work. Coupling that with the ongoing personal and sponsored donations they receive, it was interesting to learn more about the great impact they have had on the communities and economy within New Orleans. Working with them has been a unique way to learn more about the city, and I look forward to continuing that as we move forward.

-Habitat for Humanity: 8 hours

-Total Spring Semester: 8 hours