Hoos Serving

Loganbay Campbell (she/her) is a fourth-year in the College of Arts & Sciences pursuing a double-major in biology and Spanish. Loganbay started volunteering for the Latin and Migrant Aid program at Madison House during her second year at UVA. This semester, she is involved with Sin Barreras, a program that teaches English to Spanish speakers. Loganbay is in the process of applying to medical school and will be taking a gap year to work as a medical assistant in Charlottesville.

What led you to your service work?

When I was in high school, I started volunteering for different organizations such as local parks and hospitals. During these events, I got to see the impact volunteers can make in a community, and from then on, I knew that no matter where I was in my life, I always wanted to keep volunteering. When I started studying at UVA, I got involved with Madison House, and my passion for community service has only grown since.

What has been the most rewarding aspect that comes with your community involvements?

One of the most rewarding aspects is knowing that you get to help make a difference by donating just your time. To me, it really demonstrates when people in a community come together, they can achieve so much. Additionally, since getting involved with teaching English while being a Spanish major at UVA, it has also been rewarding to see the combination of what I learn in the classroom being applied to help real people.

How would you encourage others to get involved?

I would encourage others to get involved with a few programs that compliment their interests or studies. I think Madison House is a great resource to use to get started with service work because it has a broad variety of programs to choose from. However, I think other ways to get involved can be as simple as going to the activities fair in the beginning of the semester and joining a few clubs.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I think people would be surprised to learn I was a competitive figure skater from first grade until I graduated high school. Figure skating has been a big part of my life and has taught me skills such as hard work and dedication but was also one of the first communities I was a part of growing up. Although I decided not to continue figure skating at UVA, the sport has has also given me relationships I will cherish forever, such as that with my coach, who is basically family.

What is your favorite spot on Grounds and why?

My favorite spot on Grounds would be the Lawn. It's the quintessential picture of UVA, and I love all of the traditions that take place there, such as Lighting of the Lawn. I am looking forward to spring and spending more time on the Lawn as the weather warms up.

What is a book or movie you would recommend?

I would recommend the book "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi. I read this book in high school when I was first becoming interested in seriously pursuing medicine, and it definitely changed the way I view life. The book is a memoir written posthumously by Kalinthi, a neurosurgeon in his final year of residency who finds out he has stage four lung cancer. The book discusses topics such as the meaning of life as Kalinthi learns to keep living knowing he is dying. Although it has a very interesting medical background that is focused on Kalinthi's years as a doctor, I would really recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling piece of literature.

If you could do one thing to make the world a better place, what would it be?

If I could do one thing to make the world a better place, I would make sure everyone had equal opportunity to education. Going to UVA, I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to pursue my academic interests and to have access to facilities and professors who can help me do so. I believe education is key to creating strong communities and that giving everyone an equal opportunity to pursue it is how we can continue to progress as a society.