By Austin Leonard
Sydney Bailey is an upcoming student lecturer, who will be presenting her lecture “A Three Stranded Cord: The Integration of Faith, Compassion, and Medicine.” The opportunity for students to express their own ideas and also show their knowledge and how much they’ve learnt on their chosen topic through student lectures has been a long-held tradition at King since the 1960s.
Bailey is a biology major with a minor in both Spanish and Biblical studies. She is highly active on campus where she is on the softball team, a teaching assistant for the biology department as well as the head teaching assistant for the Foundations of Christian Thought and Practice class. She is also a member of Women in STEM, on the leadership board for the Pre-Health Professionals club, one of four students to be awarded the Ledford Scholarship in 2021, and a member of the King University Research Lab under Dr. Vaughn. “I’ve gained experience in teamwork and leadership through the softball team. . . and with Foundations I think that’s teaching me humility by working with so many students,” she noted. She attributes many opened doors to her involvement with the research lab. “When I first came to King, I was afraid to fail and ask for help, but I realized that it’s okay to ask for help, because that’s what people are here for.”
Her future goal is to open a rural health clinic to offer healthcare to people in areas who may not have that access. “I’m from Mendota, Virgina, it’s a small area, not even really a town, it’s a community,” said Bailey, and her hometown is one of her main inspirations. “Many of the people I grew up knowing, weren’t able to afford healthcare, and went years without seeing a doctor.” She explained,” Through my volunteer work with Health Wagon, which is a faith-based organization who help rural underprivileged people in and around Appalachia, I’ve met many doctors who, I believe, are the definition of what doctors should be.” She wants to model herself after those doctors in her own practice and as she continues to medical school.
If you are interested in hearing Sydney’s lecture, it will be held on Monday, January 31st in the Chapel at 9:15am. You can also watch it via webcast.
