Ana Li
Lawrence University
Ana "Anita" Li, a third year student at Lawrence University, has demonstrated her investment in her campus and off-campus communities during her time at Lawrence. Her passion and intellectual curiosity for issues relating to elder loneliness is reflective in her many leadership endeavors. For example, Anita has worked closely with Brewster Village, a public provider of nursing and rehabilitation services and one of our community partners. Her experiences led her to help found Building Intergenerational Relationships, an organization that matches Lawrence students with local elders in need of support. This student group also provides programming, conversation, and mutual mentoring to all participants. Anita plans to further connect her passion for elder advocacy to her academic work by observing elder communities in San Francisco and Spain to study ways of implementing training programs to help combat loneliness.
Personal Statement
I was introduced to volunteerism and service through a volunteer trip abroad to Costa Rica when I was 16 years old. Since then, I have volunteered for different issues and advocating for education, better access to nutrition, and better support for the elderly population. I have worked for the past three years on lessening the inter-generational gap between the elderly and the younger generation, organizing bi-weekly trips for Lawrence students to go to Brewster Village, a public provider of nursing and rehabilitation services and one of Lawrence University's community partners. I have planned and put together major events to bring the elderly at Brewster Village to come on campus and mingle with Lawrence students. Some of the events include formal dances, casino nights, and talent shows. For my Senior Experience, I plan to research on diversity within retirement/nursing homes to get a better understanding of how elders with diverse background do in these settings. I will be looking on how we can provide better support for ethnic minorities in retirement / nursing homes in Appleton, Wisconsin.
