Markolline Forkpa

International Experience Country:
South Africa
Cohort Year:
2014
Home Institution:

Temple University

Heinz Programming Area:
Environment
International Experience Summary:

Markolline Fork experienced what it means to be a physician dedicated to bettering the health of under-served populations in Cape Town, South Africa. Shadowing physicians and other medical professionals gave Marko the highly sought chance to build a network of well established and knowledgeable mentors. Placed in several health centers, she had the opportunity to see many surgical procedures ranging from minor circumcisions to tedious Cesarean birth operations. For her research, Marko focused on the impact that culture has had on the proliferation of HIV/AIDS in a developing nation. During her time in Nelspruit, she was able to share her ideas with hospital-based researchers and other student interns at the Rob Ferreira Hospital. Outside of the classroom, Marko took special interest in learning more about the history of South Africa. Some of her most memorable moments include those she spent on tours through the District Six and Apartheid Museums. Her quest for a thorough cultural immersion lead Markolline to make friends with many South African locals. In her free time, she enjoyed visiting local coffee shops and before leaving, even learned to make her favorite "Red Cappuccino" . Looking back, Marko is most inspired by the fact what initially began as a career-enrichment opportunity became a life changing experience. 

Community Engagement Experience Summary:

CEE Title: It Never Happens Here: Student Stories of Sexual Violence

“It Never Happens Here”… or does it?  In an hour long interactive discussion panel, we examined the myths and misfortunes of sexual harassment.  Acting out instances of our own encounters with sexual harassment both abroad and in our community, we proved that the issue is something that occurs globally.  Playing the guessing game reinforced this idea among our audience and fostered an engaging experience where everyone was encouraged to share their insight. Before transitioning to a new scene, we took a moment to reflect on what transpired.  We asked the question of “Where did this happen?”, but resolved to agree that it did not matter. Sexual harassment happens to women everywhere. Together, we discussed different ways that we could have solved the issues.  If it was an encounter that required the help of a higher up, we discussed how to get in touch with someone of the sort.  The guys in the audience were encouraged to share their own thoughts on sexual violence in efforts to dissolve the idea that women are the only victims of sexual harassment.  When the event was over, we discussed resources that could be used for women that have been or are currently victims in compromising situations.  We were happy to see that the audience was moved by our presentation and felt empowered by the positive tone of our discussion.