I have always been in the habit of wanting to help and be helpful to the people around me. So it was only a matter of time before I picked Public Health as a way to help my community. Many of my personal hobbies and personality align with this aspiration as well. I love to forage for edible and native plants in the area, I love to crochet, and be apart of different activities like dance and roller derby; overall I have also been described as a happy and smiley person. I have always loved the idea of things around me being useful tools for living and success, so as I got older I learned about food deserts and lack of access to food and nutrition education, which inspired me to take my casual hobby of foraging into something I research constantly as a way to find healthy and sustainable sources of food and medicine. Crocheting has been a way for me to express myself and I love crocheting trinkets and clothes. I love participating in different activities and clubs so I’ve gone through the dancing club WEPA at ODU, to joining the Dominion Derby Girls for a bit. It in enhances my sense of community and allows me to see ad participate with the real people around me.

I will be interning at Park Place Health and Dental Clinic in Norfolk. This is a non-profit dental clinic that serves patients who are homeless or do not have dental insurance. They offer exams, cleanings, extractions, and fillings. They have been operating for over 14 years and volunteer at dental pop ups like Mission of Mercy (MOM). They are pivotal for the Hampton Roads area and give treatment for only $30 per appointment. They collaborate with the VCU School of Dentistry and use 4th year dental students to provide care under the supervision of a registered dentist. They also collaborate with ODU’s dental hygiene program similarly.

Park Place Health and Dental Clinic was started by a In 2011, a group of parishioners from a local church who had backgrounds in Healthcare, Accounting, and IT took over the clinic from The Red Cross. They are committed to “To work collaboratively with community partners to meet the dental health needs of low income and under served residents of Hampton Roads, VA through treatment of adverse dental conditions and providing educational programs directed at promoting good oral health”.

The executive director Amanda Wright has been working with Park Place for 12 years with 3 as the ED. As the ED she is responsible for duties like translate strategic goals set by a board of directors into everyday operations, managing staff, finances, fundraising, and external public relations.

Resume : Alexandra_Bourque Resume (NEW).pdf