Determined to make a difference, Do, a 2018 Most Valuable Student scholar sponsored by San Diego, Calif., Lodge No. 168, recruited fellow Elks scholars and other students to purchase ingredients and prepare sandwiches for locals. A lack of PPE supplies also inspired Do to use his mom’s sewing machine to make face masks and homemade hand sanitizer kits.
“Each month as we distributed meals and supplies, I brimmed with pride,” says Do, a 2022 University of California, San Diego graduate. “My fellow Elks scholars, students, and I spread kindness and built a genuine movement in our community that provides essential goods to those in need.”
Do’s work didn’t stop there, though. He partnered with Third Avenue Charitable Organization, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the dignity, health and well-being of community members experiencing homelessness and poverty. With their help, along with the support of Elks scholars and other volunteers, Do was able to turn his small initiative into a full-scale project called Hope Packages. Over the past five years, Hope Packages has provided monthly warm meals, hygiene essentials, and biannual get-togethers for hundreds of people in downtown San Diego.
“Children, families, and adults now have a safe, permanent space to connect with and serve the unhoused and to fight against the prejudice they face,” says Do. “Seeing the growth of our project fills me with pride, knowing that we are making a tangible difference within the community.”
Not only has Do served his hometown, Do also spent a year serving in Vietnam as a United States Fulbright Research Scholar. Focused on understanding the barriers to hepatitis care access in the rural parts of the country, Do conducted interviews with over 100 patients and physicians. This research led him to help create a protocol and handbook that has been used to train over 300 primary healthcare workers through specialized courses, and screen and counsel over 40,000 individuals for hepatitis.
“The year I spent in Vietnam helped me forge a deep connection with their communities and gain a profound understanding of the issues that plague its citizens,” says Do. “This cultural connection, rooted in my Vietnamese heritage and American identity, instills in me a sense of responsibility to improve health equity for underserved populations in less-resourced settings, both locally and globally.”
With the Weigel scholarship, Do will attend the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School to study gastroenterology and hepatology, where he seeks to become a medical professional who patients can lean on.
“As a future physician and proud Elks scholar, I will continue to embody the Elks’ values by taking initiative to serve others and cultivating deeper, meaningful community relationships and partnerships,” says Do. “I hope to care for our patients in greatest need, both locally and worldwide, ensuring that all individuals receive the dignity, respect, and access to health care they deserve.”