Alliance: Volunteer Profile: Ada Ejiogu: Printer-Friendly Format

Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health
Pursuing joint MPA/MPH Degree
Practicum Student for Master’s in Public Health Degree

Project at the Alliance: Ada did formative research to develop recommendations for an HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) training toolkit for providers and recommendations for written materials that should be developed for patients. Ada conducted in-depth interviews with SAFE providers and ED providers who provide HIV counseling around existing training and materials and also the providers’ experiences with counseling around HIV PEP. Ada also reviewed all existing HIV PEP materials both locally and globally to help formulate the recommendations for a comprehensive toolkit.

Why did you want to volunteer at the Alliance? “I had a choice of two organizations to gain my practicum experience with, and I picked the Alliance because I felt that they were doing worthwhile work on important issues of interest. Sexual assault survivors already have a lot to deal with because of their experience and so I felt the Alliance’s commitment to ensuring quality services for them was something that I wanted to be part of.”

What did you gain from your experience interning at the Alliance? “The experience was very useful to me because I am very interested in HIV prevention and care and I was able to learn more about the services that are available to survivors and also got to learn a lot about the HIV PEP treatment. I was also able to work with very knowledgeable people at the Alliance who made it very interesting and informative. I found the Alliance to be a positive environment. Staff members were welcoming and helpful with any questions or assistance. I recommend it as a place where you will be allowed to work alongside people who are passionate about their work and yours, and encourages you to do the very best you can on something important.”

What do you hope to pursue in the future? “I hope to work on HIV prevention and care because I think it is vital for our world. My experience at the Alliance, I believe, has moved me closer to a better grounding in that area.”

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[2]: http://www.nycagainstrape.org/rss/volunteer_profiles.xml