Austin Bath, Leader of the Pack
Meet the 2013 Leader of the Pack. Junior Austin Bath is a Park scholar, an aspiring physician and a human biology major. He takes his minor in Spanish very seriously, too.
“I believe an education in a foreign language will make me a more competitive applicant to medical school,” he said in a recent interview. “More importantly, it will better prepare me to serve in the field of health care.”
Bath is active with VOLAR, which stands for Voluntarios Ahora en Raleigh (Volunteers Now in Raleigh). The campus organization offers students opportunities to volunteer and practice language skills simultaneously. Bath volunteers at the Open Door Medical Clinic, helping Spanish speakers navigate their appointments. “VOLAR has been great to work with,” Bath said. “I would highly recommend it to other students who are studying Spanish.”
Farther from campus, the pre-med student put his Spanish skills to the test during Spring break when he traveled to Quito, Ecuador, for a medical service trip through NC State’s Alternative Service Break program earlier this year. “Our group established five different medical clinics where we provided free care for local residents,” Bath says. “My Park mentor (FLL assistant head for student affairs) Susan Navey-Davis was the one who originally told me about the opportunities to study abroad. Without her, I might have missed the chance!”
Bath says his Spanish minor will prove useful in his role as Leader of the Pack, too. “It reminds me of the importance of understanding and interacting with diverse cultures,” he says. “We have so many people represented on campus. As a foreign languages minor, I feel better prepared to work with others from all walks of life.”
The Leader of the Pack serves as a positive role model on campus. The award is based on scholarship, leadership, service, and a campus-wide vote Winners are announced during halftime of NC State’s annual homecoming football game.
Read the full interview with Austin Bath, conducted by Samuel Sotillo, on the Foreign Languages and Literatures website.
