Kasey Stewart is an aspiring doctor who, in addition to double-majoring in art history and Spanish, is taking pre-med courses and minoring in Latin American studies. Her Pannell project, “Doctors Without Borders: Step One,” combines her passion for language with her dreams of becoming a doctor and helping children.

To explore her career goal of working as a pediatrician in Guatemala, Stewart has been analyzing Costa Rica’s health care system, its culture, and the history and inner workings of Doctors Without Borders. She also used the scholarship money to travel to Costa Rica in December and January to volunteer at an orphanage, which allowed her to experience the country’s culture and health care system first hand.

“I hope to apply this knowledge to suggest how Doctors Without Borders, or another health NGO, could help Guatemala achieve the same level of health services that Costa Rica has obtained,” she explained before the trip.

“My ultimate career goal is to lead Doctors Without Borders missions in Latin American countries. Experiencing a successful Latin American health care system, as well as getting the Spanish-speaking and cultural experience, will all help me be the best mission leader that I can possibly be.”

Costa Rica’s rainforest was one of several attractions Stewart visited during her monthlong stay.

The trip also gave the South Carolina native a taste of what it would be like to live abroad — and what it’s like when plans don’t work out.

Upon her arrival in San Jose, the orientation she was supposed to receive was canceled, leaving her to figure out everything on her own for the first few days.

“I thought I was prepared to travel alone, but I definitely wasn’t,” she admits.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to for very long. Fellow Sweet Briar student Ariel Taylor ’14 joined her two weeks later to also volunteer at the orphanage. Along with several other international students, the two spent weekdays tending to the young children and traveled around the country on the weekends, getting to know Costa Rica’s culture and wildlife — overall a “fantastic” experience, Stewart says.

But as things go with exploratory research projects, they don’t always yield the results one may have expected.

“Working with the children definitely reassured me that I want to work in pediatrics, but I also really enjoyed teaching the kids and I have always been passionate about education,” she said.

Stewart says she is now more interested in developmental pediatrics than emergency care, which is the primary focus of Doctors Without Borders.

“You can’t really volunteer in behavioral pediatrics,” she explained, adding that her goals have changed somewhat. While she still wants to work abroad as a doctor, it will have to be a more permanent position than those provided by Doctors Without Borders, since developmental pediatricians have to build relationships with their patients.

Stewart hopes to intern with a doctor in her hometown near Columbia during spring break to further explore the field. She’s also researching other international organizations that operate in Spanish-speaking countries.

Along with the practical experience she gained in Costa Rica, Stewart’s research has broadened her perspective on international health care aid, including its limitations.

“I have seen both the good and the bad side of international health care aid,” she said. “Obviously, western medicine has done wonders for the world, but there are also secret indigenous methods that are very important to those cultures and have clearly been working. Unfortunately, western medicine and international aid have a tendency to wipe out these wonderful health care approaches.”

Going forward, Stewart continues to explore everything there is to know about the subject — “good” or “bad.” It’s all part of the process that will get her one step closer to realizing her goals.

— Janika Carey

Baker, a chemistry major, created the blog as an Anne Gary Pannell Merit Scholar, through which she receives funding to support the project. She is one of nine Sweet Briar students to earn the scholarship this year. Initiated in 2010-2011, the program rewards exceptional first-year students with the opportunity to explore an area of interest during their sophomore year. The Class of 2014 was the first to complete projects under the program.

Ashley Baker ’15 during her Thanksgiving break visit in Philadelphia

Pannell Scholars receive a merit award applied to their tuition and funds to support any research or travel associated with their project. This year’s themes reflect a diverse group of scholars — topics range from researching the castle of Versailles, bilingualism in education or the history of Western European swordsmanship to conducting workshops in engineering and exploring a medical career in Guatemala.

What unites many of these projects is that Pannell Scholars are motivated by something beyond their own curiosity. Baker is no exception.

“I was inspired to pursue this project because so many of my non-sciencey friends say they’re ‘bad’ at math or science, and therefore, haven’t studied those subjects,” she said. “There are so many cool things I’ve learned as a hard science major that I wouldn’t know if I hadn’t taken advanced science classes, and I want to share those interesting tidbits with people who won’t have the opportunity or time to take those courses.”

Baker’s interest in creative writing helps her to turn complicated reactions into easy-to-grasp, entertaining lessons, as do the many images and videos she uses to illustrate her blog. There are clips of Bill Nye the Science Guy on static electricity and magnetism, there’s a rap video on how to make pancakes, and then there are photos of Baker at an apple orchard and in Philadelphia during Thanksgiving break. In order to “learn how to better present technical information to the public in an interesting and effective manner,” Baker visited several of the city’s science museums, including the Chemical Heritage Museum, the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Mütter Museum.

So far, Baker has enjoyed the experience, and she says she might continue her blog next year to “inform those around me about the neat things I learn.”

“I learn a lot while writing, so it’s beneficial for me as well as those who read it,” she added.

Blogging about science has also brought her one step closer to figuring out what she wants to do after college.

“Chemical education is a field that interests me, and I may eventually pursue a career that deals with informing the public about scientific research.”

In the meantime, Baker is working on finishing her own education — one chemistry class at a time.

“The courses have been really challenging, but Sweet Briar is a friendly environment that has allowed me to grow throughout these challenges, rather than be encumbered by them,” she said.

“It’s a great place.”

— Janika Carey