Elks National Foundation Blog

by Do Hyun Kim 2015 MVS Scholar, Harvard College I attended the 2016 Summer Elks Scholar Service Trip in Chicago, and it was one of the most transformative weeks of my life. From start to finish, the trip was filled with plenty of firsts for me: staying at a hostel, exploring Chicago, contributing to a mosaic mural, volunteering at a V.A. hospital, participating in the Chicago Stand-down, going on a cruise, and even taking a taxi.   The trip was very well organized and there never was a dull moment. Meeting the Elks members was also a bigger treat than I could have imagined; it just so happened that one of the members I spoke with was a university professor of engineering, and I have since been in contact with her having wonderful discussions about my interest in bioengineering.   Everywhere we went, we were met with hospitality and gratitude, and I felt proud to be a part of the Elks group. I also developed a greater understanding of what it means to serve; m...

By 2015 Most Valuable Student Scholarship Recipient and Elks Scholar Advisory Board Member Jessica Carter Jessica Carter, 2015 Most Valuable Student scholar and freshmen representative on the Elks Scholar Advisory Board , is giving us a glimpse into life as a college freshman. Join her each month as she blogs about her exciting new challenges and experiences at Northwestern University.  Something new and exciting was just created exclusively for Elks scholars across America— Elks Scholar Service Trips! From August 9 through the 15 we tried making it for the first time and, surprisingly, got it just right. It’s only fair that I share the recipe with all of you in hopes that you’ll try it out for yourself one day. Yield: 1 experience of a lifetime Total Time: 6 days of service and adventure Ingredients: One eager group of Elks scholars and ENF staff A theme song—“Everything is Awesome” was ours One work site in a welcoming town—we used Manistique, Michigan A dash o...