By Grace Taylor, Freshman, The Ohio State University; Founding Member, PeaceBuilders
Growing up Catholic, one thing that has always really stuck with me was the emphasis on commitment to the service of others. When you think about it, service to others is a universal theme of humanity. All too often, however, people limit their view of what service looks like.
When you think of service, you might think of a waitress at a restaurant, or maybe in a COVID context you might think of a nurse or EMT. The truth is, just like there is no one correct type of human or religion, there is no one correct version of service. It looks different for everybody.
Some people might take time out of their day to talk to a friend in need of support; some people might donate their time or money to charities. At the end of the day, how you are providing service to others is less important than the fact that you are providing service to others. Just by smiling at someone on the street, you are helping.
My commitment to service has influenced my career goals. This commitment is why I want to go into the medical field, either as a researcher or as a doctor, to help people in need. No matter what I end up actually doing, however, I know I’ll keep service as a focus in my life.