Daniel Johnson
Carleton College
Daniel Johnson, a second-year student at Carleton College, is employed as a Fellow at Carleton's Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE). CCCE fellows assist in running the Center and they oversee a specific area of programming. Daniel's focus area is health and he is our liaison with a local health non-profit, HealthFinders. HealthFinders is a community health center that works to be an access point to anyone looking to get healthy in greater Rice County. As our HealthFinders liaison, Daniel's responsibilities include hosting on-campus information sessions regarding opportunities at HealthFinders, processing applications, setting up interviews, assisting with intern orientation and tracking our volunteers. He coordinates student reflection sessions and writes quarterly evaluations. Working with this organization provides Daniel with the perfect venue to make an impactful measure toward his belief that healthcare is a fundamental right for everyone.
In addition to his work with HealthFinders, Daniel serves as a tutor with Northfield's TORCH program. The mission of TORCH is to improve the graduation and post-secondary participation rates of Northfield's students of color, low-income students, and youth who would be first-generation college attendees. Daniel is a member of the Carleton Dining Board and Carleton's pre-medical student association.
Personal Statement
My efforts to address health inequities through community service stem from my firm belief in the fundamental right to healthcare. When I came to Carleton, I began volunteering for HealthFinders, a community health center serving marginalized families. As I talked to physicians and patients, I discovered that grassroots healthcare organizations like HealthFinders are best at addressing health inequities because of their continuing dialogue with community members. To become more involved in HealthFinders, I transitioned from a volunteer to a student volunteer coordinator in the spring of my freshman year. I expanded upon this role last term by supporting my peers who lead all of the health-oriented volunteer activities on campus. I also organized two lectures with guest speakers who talked about their experiences in public health. As a board member for Carleton's pre-medical student association, I am working to incorporate community service into the lives of my pre-medical peers. Recently, I became the treasurer of a club that addresses international healthcare disparities by raising money to send medical equipment to hospitals in developing nations. In the future, I hope to grow as a leader and help resolve health inequities in my community and beyond.
