2010 Hilltop: Defending Global Health Equity
Posted on Nov 16, 2010 by Jon
On Friday, November 5th, over 60 GlobeMed students from seven different chapters across the network converged upon beautiful Chapel Hill, North Carolina for a weekend of unforgettable community building. Hosted by GlobeMed at UNC, the 2010 Hilltop marked the network’s very first regional summit, bringing together students from Penn State, University of Michigan, Duke, Rhodes College, Northwestern and George Washington University. The event’s theme of “Defending Global Health Equity” was palpable throughout the weekend, beginning with an opening keynote from Laura Hoemeke, the Director of Strategic Communications for Intrahealth, followed by an afternoon of afternoon of robust discussions around students’ engagement in global health. At the Saturday plenary session, Dr. Jeff Heck, co-chair of the Global Health Task Force for the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, spoke candidly about the challenges that inevitably come into play when balancing relationships and self-enrichment with a life of moral aspirations dedicated to bettering the lives of others. His talk spurred dialogue around students’ own personal motivations and ethics, allowing Hilltop participants to share their views and learn from one another. Ultimately, this inaugural regional summit was incredibly successful in bringing GlobeMed students together to affirm the fact that our national network is comprised of amazing students who are deeply connected in a sense of common purpose. Below, senior Chris Moore, co-president of GlobeMed at Rhodes, reflects on his 2010 Hilltop experience:
“I continue to be amazed by the GlobeMed network. I was reminded just how inspiring our organization can be last weekend when I attended the first annual GlobeMed Hilltop, a regional conference hosted by GlobeMed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. For three days at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, I was joined by 80 undergraduate students from 9 universities to participate in critical discussions, workshops, and inspiring lectures. It proved to be a tremendous opportunity for GlobeMed students to share best-practices, engage in meaningful reflections, forge new friendships, and rekindle old ones.
The theme of the conference was Defending Global Health. Together we affirmed why health is a human right, and identified social, economic, as well as political justifications for the promotion of health equity and equality. We were not there, however, to blindly argue the strengths of our model in alleviating global health inequities. Instead we critically reflected on our methods and mission, and in doing so identified areas where we can continue to improve.
Opportunities to participate in strategic workshops and to attend lectures are of course amazing, but what is more amazing than the what of these conferences is the who. I leave the Hilltop feeling incredibly humbled by the individuals I was able to collaborate with. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about participating in an organization like GlobeMed is the capacity to form meaningful and lasting relationships with truly amazing people. Everyone I was fortunate enough to interact with at Hilltop challenged, energized, and reshaped me. I am constantly inspired by the power of our network and the social movement we represent. The tremendous potential of these network-wide events to light a fiery passion in the soul of young people cannot be understated. I had an amazing time and can’t wait to meet more incredible students at the Global Health Summit next April.”
Thank you to GlobeMed at UNC for all of your hard work and efforts in making the Hilltop a success!
On Friday, November 5th, over 60 GlobeMed students from seven different chapters across the network converged upon beautiful Chapel Hill, North Carolina for a weekend of unforgettable community building. Hosted by GlobeMed at UNC, the 2010 Hilltop marked the network’s very first regional summit, bringing together students from Penn State, University of Michigan, Duke, Rhodes College, Northwestern and George Washington University. The event’s theme of “Defending Global Health Equity” was palpable throughout the weekend, beginning with an opening keynote from Laura Hoemeke, the Director of Strategic Communications for Intrahealth, followed by an afternoon of afternoon of robust discussions around students’ engagement in global health. At the Saturday plenary session, Dr. Jeff Heck, co-chair of the Global Health Task Force for the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, spoke candidly about the challenges that inevitably come into play when balancing relationships and self-enrichment with a life of moral aspirations dedicated to bettering the lives of others. His talk spurred dialogue around students’ own personal motivations and ethics, allowing Hilltop participants to share their views and learn from one another. Ultimately, this inaugural regional summit was incredibly successful in bringing GlobeMed students together to affirm the fact that our national network is comprised of amazing students who are deeply connected in a sense of common purpose. Below, senior Chris Moore, co-president of GlobeMed at Rhodes, reflects on his 2010 Hilltop experience:
“I continue to be amazed by the GlobeMed network. I was reminded just how inspiring our organization can be last weekend when I attended the first annual GlobeMed Hilltop, a regional conference hosted by GlobeMed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. For three days at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, I was joined by 80 undergraduate students from 9 universities to participate in critical discussions, workshops, and inspiring lectures. It proved to be a tremendous opportunity for GlobeMed students to share best-practices, engage in meaningful reflections, forge new friendships, and rekindle old ones.
The theme of the conference was Defending Global Health. Together we affirmed why health is a human right, and identified social, economic, as well as political justifications for the promotion of health equity and equality. We were not there, however, to blindly argue the strengths of our model in alleviating global health inequities. Instead we critically reflected on our methods and mission, and in doing so identified areas where we can continue to improve.
Opportunities to participate in strategic workshops and to attend lectures are of course amazing, but what is more amazing than the what of these conferences is the who. I leave the Hilltop feeling incredibly humbled by the individuals I was able to collaborate with. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about participating in an organization like GlobeMed is the capacity to form meaningful and lasting relationships with truly amazing people. Everyone I was fortunate enough to interact with at Hilltop challenged, energized, and reshaped me. I am constantly inspired by the power of our network and the social movement we represent. The tremendous potential of these network-wide events to light a fiery passion in the soul of young people cannot be understated. I had an amazing time and can’t wait to meet more incredible students at the Global Health Summit next April.”
Thank you to GlobeMed at UNC for all of your hard work and efforts in making the Hilltop a success!
