A School of Continuing Studies (SCS) student won the Lena Landegger Community Service Award for his volunteer efforts with the Georgetown University Student Veterans Association (GUSVA) and Arlington County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).
Every year, the award recognizes Georgetown students who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to serving communities in need. James Jaramillo (COL ’22), one of this year’s recipients, received the award because of community service efforts within the Georgetown community, especially his service in assisting veterans returning from service. Jaramillo is the first SCS student to win the award in the school’s history.
While in GUSVA, Jaramillo coordinated local, military-affiliated events, leading tours of Arlington National Cemetery to educate visitors on the lives of veterans. With a motto of “Veterans for Others,” the driving mission of GUSVA is to wholly embrace the principle of giving back, according to Jaramillo.
An Army veteran himself, Jaramillo said he initially attempted to distance himself from his military background when coming to campus out of fears about stereotyping.
“I did this because for many years prior to attending Georgetown, I attended community college and felt as if the label of ‘veteran’ drastically altered how people perceived me,” Jaramillo wrote to The Hoya. “I still interacted with veteran communities by serving on the board of our Student Veterans Association chapter, and participated in our decision-making process, but I wanted undergraduate students to realize that veterans aren’t a one size fits all!”
Wesley Wilson, the director of Georgetown’s Military and Veterans Resource Center, said the award serves as a well-deserved acknowledgement of the contributions Jaramillo and other veteran student organizations have made to Georgetown and communities in need.
“I am elated to see James Jaramillo recognized for his service activities. Our military-connected student organizations are crucial in creating a space for military students to connect, build community, and continue serving,” Wilson wrote to The Hoya. “I am proud and thankful for GUSVA’s service to our campus community and to their country.”
In addition to his work with GUSVA, Jaramillo assisted the Arlington MRC in their vaccination efforts and response to COVID-19, something he said inspired his passion for providing equitable healthcare.
“My volunteer experience with the Medical Reserve Corps allowed me to see how healthcare disparities impacted people from underserved communities,” Jaramillo wrote. “These interactions helped me realize my goal of working in primary care as a physician in the future with the goal of improving health equity and trust in underserved communities to improve their access to care.”
Jaramillo quickly became a reliable and regular volunteer for MRC’s vaccination clinics both during the pandemic and after, MRC coordinator Michael Fletcher said.
“Even as the initial rush of vaccine demand slowed down later in the year and life ‘returned to normal’ for many volunteers, James still found time to sign up for a shift, usually multiple times a week,” Fletcher wrote to The Hoya. “Clinic staff are always happy to see his name on the daily sign-in sheet, knowing that he’ll be there to fill any role needed of him and have a positive, infectious attitude while doing it.”
SCS Dean Kelly Otter said Jaramillo exemplifies the school’s ideals of supporting the common good.
“From serving our country to giving back to our community, James exemplifies the many strengths of our student veterans at SCS who go above and beyond the classroom to build a better future,” Otter wrote to The Hoya. “I am incredibly proud of James who is a role model among his peers demonstrating how empowered students can thrive and ignite positive change in their communities.”
Jaramillo said he remains engaged with healthcare volunteering even after graduation and encourages his peers to get involved in their own communities.
“This award empowered me to continue to aid my community and show others how Hoyas can positively impact our surroundings,” Jaramillo wrote. “These days I find myself volunteering with the MRC, MedVets, and my neighborhood community center. MedVets is specifically designed to provide mentor services to veterans considering a medical career.”
