Why the RUF Internship?

Why the RUF Internship?

At the beginning of my junior year, I was fully committed to my path of medical school. I spent the entire year rushing to complete my last prerequisites, balancing coursework with physician shadowing, a clinical experience at Duke University, a research position at UNC, and long study hours for the MCAT, which I took in May 2024. But somewhere along the way, I began to feel a resistance—not necessarily from burnout or uncertainty about medicine itself, but from God. It was as if He was gently but firmly telling me, not yet. I wrestled with this feeling for months, praying through whether I was supposed to abandon medicine entirely. Over time, I realized God wasn’t saying never—He was making it clear that in order to truly use medicine as my lifelong ministry, I needed to grow first. And that growth wasn’t going to come from another year of coursework or research. It was going to come from something different, something that would challenge me to step out in faith and serve Him in a way I hadn’t before.

By the start of my senior year, I was already considering the RUF internship. The idea of pouring into students the way my RUF mentors had poured into me was compelling, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to take on that kind of role. Then, through God’s providence, a new campus minister transitioned to UNC, giving me an unexpected opportunity to step up in new leadership roles. I continued leading my small group, not just facilitating discussion but intentionally discipling the people in it. I took on the responsibility of planning and running certain RUF events, including creating an entirely new fall conference weekend schedule when our original plan was cancelled for Hurricane Helene and meeting one-on-one with students to make sure they felt seen and supported. I also helped with freshman outreach through Carolina Way Camp, a three-day Christian orientation camp for incoming UNC students, where I was paired with eight freshman guys. My role was to help them acclimate to campus life, be a steady presence, and serve as a friend to rely on. I had no idea how much those relationships would mean to me—some of those guys are now close friends I meet with weekly.

Through all of this, I felt God confirming that college ministry wasn’t just something I could do—it was something I needed to do. Before stepping into medicine, I want to spend the next two years using the gifts God has already given me to serve students in the same way I was served. I want to walk alongside them as they navigate the pressures of academics and identity, pointing them toward the only thing that can truly sustain them: Christ. I am beyond excited to do this at UVA, where I know the challenges will stretch me, but where I also know God is already at work. This internship isn’t a detour from my calling—it’s a vital step in preparing for it.