Brandon Ko '10 Receives 2009 YSN Community Service Award
New Haven, CT — May 8, 2009
Yale University School of Nursing student Brandon Ko '10 was
presented the 2009 YSN Community Service Award. The award presentation
followed the annual Sybil Palmer Bellos Lecture.
YSN Dean Margaret Grey presented Ko with the award and read the official Community Service Award Citation:
"Despite
a heavy academic workload in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
specialty, this student has contributed a great deal to the Yale
University and New Haven communities. For the last three years, he has
participated in and helped organize Healthy Neighbors Day fairs in the
Church Street South Housing Development directly across the street.
Working within this community, he has also developed afterschool
activities, a health promotion program for youth and is developing an
adolescent mentoring program.
"He has volunteered
with Planned Parenthood's Real Life, Real Talk program, which focuses
on teaching communication skills between parents and teens regarding
sex, sexuality and safety. He also volunteers with the Musical Cure, a
group of students who perform at convalescent homes, rehabilitation
centers, AIDS groups, and the like. Additionally, he has collaborated
with the Yale Health Initiative Taskforce to provide screening, health
education and advocacy services to underserved members of various
communities throughout New Haven.
"During this
year's Spring Break, he volunteered his time to provide nursing care
for children in Managua, Nicaragua, at YSN's La Escuelita Project. In
preparation for this trip, he helped with planning and fundraising,
even helping to raise funds by playing his saxophone outside of the
Medical School.
"Since coming to YSN, he has been
actively involved in Have Bones…Will Travel, a program designed to
spark schoolchildren's enthusiasm for science and inspire them to
consider nursing as a possible future profession. … He has extended the
typical student responsibility of presenting the program to the public
by creating new curricula.
"He is engaging,
dynamic, and a wonderful ambassador for YSN. He possesses significant
personal characteristics that draw people to him: warmth, charisma, and
thoughtfulness. He embodies all of the characteristics of a dedicated
community servant and of a highly professional health care provider. He
has made outstanding contributions to the community in the delivery of
health care in New Haven - and beyond. He is, quite simply, a
delightful and compassionate person who has a high commitment to others
and serves the community at every opportunity.
"For
his compassion, deep commitment and significant contributions to his
community, the Yale University School of Nursing is proud to present
the 2009 Community Service Award to Brandon Ko."
