Olivia Dowler

Charla Co-Chair 2022-2024

Hi! My name is Olivia Dowler and I was the Charla Co-Chair in Panama and Honduras.

My interest in the WVU Global Medical and Dental Brigades sparked when I was in high school and had heard from older friends who were active in the organization. I knew that it was something I wanted to be involved in, and luckily my friends reassured me that I could still do it as someone not wanting to go into the healthcare field. Though my experience has been untraditional because of the COVID pandemic, I still was able to learn a lot as an underclassman from the leadership team and Professor Brewster through our monthly volunteering with the local food pantry. Working alongside such passionate individuals has only strengthened my love of service. 

Being able to brigade in Panama this past spring was an incredible opportunity. It was fascinating to be able to learn about medicine from this perspective, as I have only ever had experience as a patient. Being in Panama also helped me to combat my imposter syndrome when it came to speaking Spanish and being able to understand others. I loved being able to work with local leaders abroad and assist our group here at WVU to broaden our collective Spanish knowledge. Serving with the Global Medical and Dental Brigades has been one of the best parts of my undergraduate career, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to better themselves as a servant leader.