Our semi-regular alumni spotlight feature Past Meets Present is back this week with an all new interview featuring City Year Chicago alumna, Bianca Verma! While we weren’t able to swing our usual alumni video interview, Bianca was kind enough to answer some of our questions via email from the University of Michigan Medical School!
Mind introducing yourself?
Hi! I’m Bianca Verma, and I hail from Manlius, New York (a suburb of Syracuse, NY… Go Orange!). I graduated from Harvard in 2010, and decided I wanted a change from the east coast for my gap year. I moved to the great city of Chicago for my City Year corps year at Howe Elementary (’10-’11).
Now that your City Year is over, what are you doing now?
I currently live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and am a first-year medical student at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Did City Year help you achieve your career goals?
City Year definitely helped clarify my career goals. Trying to inspire kids to love learning made me realize I love learning, and was excited to return to school. Even though medical school is busy, I have prioritized doing service and advocacy in my free time, and primarily focus on urban children. I hope to pursue a career in pediatrics, and wouldn’t have known how much I love working with kids if I hadn’t done City Year!
What was the best part of your City Year?
The relationships I built were the best part of my City Year because they can continue after my corps year! I was very lucky to have an incredibly supportive and open team, and several close friends from other school teams, and I still keep in touch with them… I am actually going to a wedding for one of my former teammates this coming summer! On top of my friendships with fellow corps members, the relationships I have with my students have continued to grow too. I visited Howe on a recent trip back to Chicago and was so excited to see my 6th graders scream with delight upon seeing me. They told me extensive updates on their life and I heard about what they’re learning about in 7th grade. Some of them have emailed me for advice on applying to high school, too. It really affirmed to me that my City Year was worth it.
Any advice for the current corps as they start the second half of their year?
City Year is one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do, but keep in the front of your mind that it will also be one of the most powerful and meaningful things you’ll ever do if you put 100% into it. Be there for your kids despite the push-back, be a shining light of idealism in your schools, and be okay leaning on your teammates and corps members for support when you need it. You are doing amazing work, and though the kids you work with may not realize it now, they will be touched by your passion and commitment. Be strong! You can do it!
Bianca was also the winner of our special City Year J Brand Jeans contest held last year. The above photo of Bianca was taken at her alma mater, the Howe School of Excellence, with her rockin’ her new pair of stylish J Brand Jeans!
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