Volunteer Spotlight: Ali Assi, '15 MPH
Ali Assi, '15 MPH, is an active volunteer in the UAlberta community and has been since he arrived in Edmonton in 2013. Ali currently works on a research team in the Faculty of Nursing at the U of A, but when not at work, Ali volunteers as a member-at-large of the Alumni Council and an executive member of the Alumni Pride Chapter.
Before coming to Edmonton, Ali was working as a doctor, but felt that something was missing in clinical practice. He applied to different Public Health programs in Canada and when he received his acceptance letter from the U of A that started with “Hey Ali”, he felt a personal connection from the university and knew it would be the right school for him. As a student, Ali started volunteering with the International Student Advisory Council and the School of Public Health Students’ Association. He went to a Students’ Association meeting partly because he heard there would be free pizza. Well, pizza lunch happened to be the election meeting and he was nominated to be president of the association, which he accepted. And that’s how two slices of pizza led to his many volunteering experiences at the U of A.
Ali really enjoyed his time as a student and wanted to give back to the University, so he kept finding volunteer opportunities. He has volunteered as a career mentor and the chair of the School of Public Health Alumni Chapter and currently sits on the career committee of Alumni Council and the board of the Pride Alumni Chapter. Not only has he benefited from volunteering by gaining new networks and personal growth, but the connections he made volunteering have also directly led to a job offer.
Ali has found his volunteer experiences very satisfying and life-changing. He would encourage everyone to volunteer as he can attest to the connections you can make and the diverse opportunities you can take.
Interested in joining an alumni chapter? Find out more.
