Student Volunteer Erika Morihiro
Written by Joie Colobong
Erika Morihiro is a Psychology major and Business Administration minor currently working as a volunteer for Student Health and Wellness Programs (SHWP) at UH Hilo.
While interning with a Hilo-based company during the summer of 2013 – an experience she considers unsatisfying in hindsight – Morihiro crossed paths with Dr. Sulma Gandhi, the Director of UH Hilo's Student Health and Wellness Programs. Their chance encounter soon led Morihiro to begin an internship with Dr. Gandhi in the spring of 2014.
“How we met is quite funny,” Morihiro, an international student and former Vulcans golf team member, recalls with a smile. “I stumbled across [Dr. Gandhi], and we talked and I introduced myself to her. I explained my situation, not knowing who she was, or anything. And then she was like, ‘I’m the Director for Student Health and Wellness Programs; if you’re interested in interning with me, I can accommodate you.’”
Though no longer an intern, Morihiro continues to volunteer for SHWP for her own pleasure. “I just like working with Dr. Gandhi,” Morihiro says. “And it’s my senior year, so I didn’t really need the credits for an internship, but I just still wanted to be in that stimulating environment that Dr. Gandhi provided me with.”
A substantial part of Morihiro’s work has involved generating awareness and interest among students in SHWP’s activities and beliefs. Her work has included assisting in creating the Student Health Advisory Council (a student body committee that works with SHWP to plan health-related events on campus), maintaining the SHWP website, and creating flyers to advertise the organization’s events.
Morihiro says she has gained a lot from her interning and volunteering experience with Dr. Gandhi. “I didn’t necessarily start working with her with the interest of the health and wellness subject,” Morihiro admits. “So I had to actually learn a lot. There’s confidentiality involved, because we work with medical and counseling services, so I had to educate myself on that. And Dr. Gandhi is very busy with meetings and stuff throughout the week, so we all learned to work independently and not rely on her so much. And communicate effectively – I think that’s what I learned the most, which I wasn’t so good at before – emailing, replying quickly amongst each other.”
Although Morihiro recognizes that SHWP faces an uphill battle in gaining sizable interest among UH Hilo’s student population, she remains committed to helping SHWP fight that battle for the remainder of her time at UH Hilo (she is due to graduate in the spring of 2015). “I think it takes a lot of effort for our program, especially because students don’t really know about our program,” Morihiro says. “Health and wellness, even though it should be a main priority or an important thing in our lives, students don’t really show interest. They would rather participate in activities that [the Student Activities Council] organizes, or other organizations, because it’s more fun. It’s more appealing for the students. So it’s just a lot of effort trying to get students to come to our events, get involved, and believe in what we believe in. It takes a lot effort, but it’s a lot of fun, too.”
Morihiro encourages students to be proactive in finding volunteer and internship opportunities that suit their interests. “Some students make up an excuse, saying that, you know, ‘I don’t volunteer because I don’t know anywhere I can volunteer for,’” she says. “But you don’t necessarily have to apply to what’s out there. You can always go to one of the faculty members if you’re interested within [a particular] area. Say you’re interested in counseling; you can always into their office and ask, ‘I’m interested in counseling; would you be willing to provide me with an intern position?’”
