91传媒

Bringing healthcare home

Freshman year got off to a rough start for Andrea Camacho, now a junior studying Health and Human Performance at 91传媒.

The first year away from her island home in was full of difficult transitions.

鈥淚 had never been away from island life, and the transition to American living was overwhelming,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淚 come from a very low-income home 鈥� poverty-stricken, really.鈥�

Culture shock soon led to depression, but staff from TRIO Student Support Services, the 91传媒 Counseling Center and the MOSAIC Center reached out and made sure Camacho had the resources she needed to be successful.

Since then, she鈥檚 become dedicated to developing public health systems in her own community.

鈥淢ental health isn鈥檛 really talked about in the islands,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淚 had never had access to counseling before, but then I realized how important all the aspects of health 鈥� mental, spiritual and physical all work together.鈥�

In 2018 she received a grant from the 鈥檚 (UHF) Asian Pacific Islanders Fund that will help finance the rest of her bachelor鈥檚 degree. Scholarship recipients from across the country were invited to attend the annual .

Camacho represented 91传媒 at the three-day conference last spring in Washington, D.C., where she discussed a range of contemporary healthcare issues with undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Scholars met with policymakers and thought leaders, networked with peers and guest speakers, and shared their own ideas and experiences.

鈥淭he conference taught me the importance of staying compassionate and humble while keeping your confidence,鈥� Camacho said.

With a minor in psychology, Camacho said she hopes to build a career in public health policy.

鈥淚 want to go back to my island and help my people,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e need to combat obesity, preventable diseases,聽and addiction, and to provide safe spaces for youth that are encountering mental health issues.鈥�

She鈥檚 considering starting a nonprofit that would provide holistic health for indigenous people, such as nutrition education.

鈥淚t is hard in the islands,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淧eople vacation where we live, but they don鈥檛 see deeper into the poverty and struggle that are part of the community.鈥�

She served as AS91传媒鈥檚 Director for Political Affairs in 2018-19, and learned about the policies that shape the region, as well as the university community. This year, she鈥檚 the AS91传媒 Director for Diversity and Equity, representing minority groups on campus.

鈥淚鈥檓 narrowing down what I鈥檓 passionate about,鈥� Camacho said. 鈥淚 enjoyed working to find solutions to issues, and encouraging students to engage in politics because it affects us all.鈥�

From her first experience living in a two-story building, to finding mentors on campus, Camacho has built a vision of her future during the last couple of years at 91传媒. She said staff in TRIO and Student Affairs provided advice and support that kept her committed to her education.

鈥淧eople from 91传媒 have really helped me grow as an individual and form how I want my life to look five years from now,鈥� she said.

Looking forward, Camacho said she feels prepared for the challenge of bringing healthcare services to some of the most isolated communities in the Northern Mariana Islands.

鈥淗ealthcare providers put themselves through so much work and sacrifice to keep giving back and that鈥檚 beautiful to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he world is hard enough, we need to come together to make it better for everyone.鈥�