Check out our second Summer Spotlight, upcoming Junior Halle Thannickal!

Our Second Summer Spotlight is rising Rising Junior Halle Thannickal! Keep reading to find out more about the great things she's been doing this Summer!

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Hi! My name’s Halle Thannickal, and I’m a rising junior studying Cellular & Molecular Biology and Gender & Health.

This summer, I’ve been interning with a non-governmental organization called Subversive Front in Skopje, Macedonia which aims to assess and fulfill the physical and mental needs of the LGBT+ community. LGBT+ individuals in Macedonia face a number of issues, such as violence, ostracization from society, unequal work opportunities, and more which all culminate to diminish their mental health. I’m helping the SF team research these issues, publish reports regarding findings, and host workshops to provide various groups with education or psychosocial support. Although my future career of choice is directly providing patients with services to monitor and improve their health, I believe that the road to optimal care is paved by social activism, education, and public policy.

Even though I am not a member of the LGBT+ community, I can imagine that living oppressed in your own society is a heavy cognitive load. So, I was drawn to this internship not only because of my interest in healthcare, but also because of my passion for all people to have equal healthcare opportunities. Additionally during my time in Europe, I’ve been able to travel to different areas across the Balkans and learn a ton about the unique culture!

Interning has been amazing, and I’m excited to bring back what I’ve learned to WORTH this fall. I’m looking forward to continuing our projects from last year, such as having wellness discussions at local high schools or hosting health-related panels with the WORTH biomedical group, but I’m also just ready to be with all of the members again. Our meetings are always filled with passionate, insightful discussions and bright ideas on how to advocate for women’s health on campus. Getting be with everyone is so productive, but also a ton of fun. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish next semester!