Brianna Frederick, Washington & Jefferson College

Brianna Frederick, a sophomore accounting major at Washington & Jefferson College, is a regular volunteer and W&J Community Outreach Team Leader, and is immensely passionate about community engagement, public service and volunteerism. She was one of the first participants in the Volunteer Community Health Coach Program, where she was trained to provide in-home health support, assisting patients who have been released from hospital care with their personal health plans. Health Coaches work to connect their patients to resources that health professionals themselves may not be aware of in order to reduce readmissions and improve quality of life. In her role with the W&J Community Outreach Team, Brianna serves as a Poverty & Homelessness Team Leader with Washington County Habitat for Humanity. Brianna serves as support for the Volunteer Coordinator and Executive Assistant. At the same time that she was supporting the agency, she intensified the presence of Habitat for Humanity at the College by founding a collegiate chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Brianna was able to recruit over 40 active students in their first two months of this new organization’s operation. Through these efforts, Brianna demonstrates her commitment to the mission of W&J and the spirit Newman Civic Fellow Award.
-Tori Haring-Smith, President

My family and friends say I am addicted to volunteering, but I believe that the best way to receive is to give. In high school, I was a member of thirteen different volunteer groups. As I began college, I desired to continue my mission of giving, and I have been able to continue my addiction to volunteering. I volunteer regularly with Active Minds, to better educated and eliminate stigmas; Green Club, impacting the environment; and Produce to the People, working with the Food Bank. I am a Community Outreach Team Leader for Habitat for Humanity, allowing me to serve as a volunteer-intern, in addition to beginning a campus Chapter. Last summer, I was able to participate in the Student Health Care Coaches Program, an internship primarily for Pre-Med students. However, as an accounting major, I challenged myself, eager to learn outside of my comfort zone. Although the program has ended, I still continue to volunteer weekly with my patients. Outside of school, I volunteer at my church and the Pennsylvania Game Lands Commission. From my volunteer endeavors, I have been able to develop and learn about what it takes to be an active leader in school, the community, and work.
-Brianna Frederick