Hoos Serving

Patrick Morris (he/him/his) is a fourth-year in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in biology with Spanish and biomedical engineering minors. This past year, Patrick has been involved in five major volunteer organizations: a confidential crisis helpline, taking calls from the greater Charlottesville area and beyond and providing individuals in crisis empathy and long-term solutions catered to the needs of the caller; the Pediatrics for Emergency Physicians Network, creating storyboards for an online education platform which aim to provide physicians the tools needed to provide excellent emergency care for children in the emergency department; an organization called Remote Area Medical, to help provide free dental and medical care for those who cannot otherwise afford it during international pop-up clinics (Patrick also played a role on the fundraising team and helped raise money for our very own clinic that will be held in the fall); the UVA CIO Hearts for the Homeless, a group dedicated to providing free heart-health care screenings for those in the Charlottesville area who do not regularly get screened, where he helped establish a new board of officers; and local Albemarle County middle schools where he has been able to use his Spanish minor in action to help translate study material for non-native English speakers to provide the educational resources to excel in their coursework.

Patrick's goal is to become a pediatric oncologist, and during his gap years, he will be working in a cancer research lab at Cold Spring Harbor and volunteering as an EMT.

What led you to your service work?

The answer to this question stems from a quote that I heard during my sophomore year of high school that really resonated with me by a man named Jim Tuman: "Happy people live outside themselves." To me, living a happy, fulfilling life stems from being able to use what I have to help others. By diving into service work, I have been able to do just that.

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

One of the most rewarding aspects that come from my community involvement has been knowing that I have been able to have a tangible effect on those around me. Having callers tell me that our conversation has helped calm their stress, or seeing the appreciation of those receiving free medical care at RAM clinics after waiting overnight to be treated has been extremely eye-opening for me and let me understand that while you may not be able to help everyone, helping one is better than none.

How would you encourage others to get involved?

Find something that you are interested in and dive into it! Even if you don't know anyone else in the club/organization, you will be able to meet like-minded individuals and you'll be able to explore your interests in the process. Even though it is easier said than done, don't be afraid to try something that is outside of your comfort zone.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I recently got into botany thanks to a friend, and since then, I have been collecting and pressing some of the gorgeous flowers that are around Grounds.

What is your favorite spot on Grounds and why?

My favorite spot on Grounds is definitely the Lawn, whether it be doing work with friends or just basking in the sun, you can never go wrong with it!

What is a book or movie you would recommend?

A book that I would recommend is "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller – it is truly just a beautifully worded novel and the ending had me in tears.

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

I would encourage everyone to try to see others as actual people first – especially today, there is so much trying to divide us, but I do think that in general, most people are more alike than we give each other credit for.