Marist College graduate Julianna Lindquist plans to become a doctor, but got bit by the service bug while volunteering with the college’s Upward Bound program.

“I loved working with the Poughkeepsie High School and Newburgh Free Academy students and it was the driving force behind why I wanted to do service for another year,” Lindquist said.

The biomedical science major with a minor in Spanish is now an American Connection Corps member serving on the district’s Community Schools team.  She believes helping PCSD students and families through Community Schools will also help her with her goal to become a pediatrician.

While her role is developing, Lindquist is already working on projects. She is putting together the Parent Empowerment Center workshop catalog and will be using her biomedicine and experience with public health workshops to create a new offering through community schools.

Natasha Brown, executive director of community schools, shared that “Julianna's role will be to work with the entire Community Schools team to create programs and initiatives that will promote family engagement and community involvement while supporting whole child development.”

In her free time, Lindquist said her priority is her health so she enjoys going to the gym and cooking healthy meals, walking or running through the trails at the Vanderbilt Mansion and spending time outside. In the gym, you might hear her listening to hip hop music, though Taylor Swift is her favorite artist.

Asked what her motivation was for coming to PCSD, she said, “I’m here to help. My biggest driving force is making an impact and leaving a legacy that continues on when I leave. I love meeting new people, so introduce yourself to me,” she said, smiling.