This year’s Blondel Carleton Award recipient was graduating senior Patrick Throckmorton. Patrick expressed that his time at University of Portland gave him an “incredible base of knowledge,” but he has “gained so much more than just an education” in his time here. He has learned what it means to be part of a larger community—to support those who are not able to speak up for themselves and to strive for a more united and inviting community. He adds that his experiences have led him to become more interested in social justice and he hopes to incorporate that into his future in medicine.
With such a heart for service, it is no surprise that he views receiving the award as an incredible gift and was very humbled by it. In fact, as he recalls, “I was very excited when I got the email, it came out of nowhere! The teachers in the Biology Department have given me so much over the years in terms of education and personal growth, and I feel like I owe them for helping me become the person I am today.”
What does the future hold? In the near future, Patrick will be leaving in September to serve in the Peace Corps in Cameroon for two years working in a health program that emphasizes maternal and neonatal health. He shared that he feels incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity and looks forward to gaining new perspectives and skills that I would not be able to develop in America. He acknowledges that he has always been a student and plans on continuing his education in medical school, but he is really looking forward to having two years to discover the new ways he can bring positive change to communities. In the distant future, he still sees himself passionate about medicine and health, but desire to live his life with an open mind. As he put it, “If I find a field in which I believe I can make more of an impact, I wouldn’t be afraid to change my course. The next two years will allow me to test my commitment to medicine, and I am very grateful for that opportunity.”