Over the next six weeks, we want to give the UWBucks Community a chance to meet our six awesome interns! Each Wednesday, we will feature a post by an intern telling you a little bit about themselves and their mission for the summer. First up is Jeremy Hofer, one of Bucks County’s own!
My name is Jeremy Hofer, and I am the Community Impact intern at United Way of Bucks County. Throughout the summer, I will be aiding in the Needs Assessment Process for UWBucks, as well as assisting in various community outreach projects.
This fall I will be a sophomore at Temple University, where I major in nursing. I found my passion for nursing during the treatment of my Ewings’ Sarcoma when I was fourteen years old. My ultimate goal was initially to become a nurse practitioner in the pediatric oncology department at the Childrens’ Hospital of Philadelphia. However, I may change my goal, as I have started to look into what is needed to become a nursing professor after working in the field for several years. Outside of school, I live with my parents and younger brother, as well as our menagerie of pets.
Before this internship, my involvement with the United Way of Bucks County had been sparse. This past January I participated in the MLK Day of Service, where I volunteered to pack food for distribution throughout the county. After participating in the food packing event, I wanted to do more, and that opportunity came with this internship.
I first learned about this internship through the UWBucks’ Facebook page. My mother messaged me one day while I was in class to tell me they were hiring interns for the summer, and I jumped on the idea. When looking over the various positions being offered, the one that most interested me was for Community Impact. It was described as assisting in the Needs Assessment process, which focuses on collecting data from individuals, organizations, and companies within the county about various problems that affect a person’s health, income, and/or education: the United Way’s three building blocks that are necessary for a quality life. The assessment also looks at how the programs that are funded by UWBucks are working to better the lives of members of our communities. This is closely related to my goals as a nursing student: not only to discover and treat whatever illnesses or diseases a patient might have, but to do what I can to help them live a better, more enjoyable life outside of treatment as well.
This summer I am excited to be able to help with the Needs Assessment process, as well as help with the fundraising efforts for BKO Hunger. Throughout the next few weeks, I believe I will gain valuable insight into problems occurring within Bucks County that I was not previously aware of. I will also learn how the needs of the community can be met through the United Way in conjunction with other organizations. Additionally, after seeing what a large impact the packed meals from the MLK Day of Service could have on the food insecurity problem in Bucks County, I am looking forward to being part of an expanded version of this kind of project with BKO Hunger, and to see how events like this will progress into the future.
About the Contributor: Katie Pilot is the Marketing Intern at UW Bucks for the summer. She is a rising senior at Villanova University with a major in Communications. Due to her passion for social justice, particularly the importance of education, and is excited to help get the word out about UW Bucks’ great contributions to the county in hopes to get more people involved.