Grace Timm’s inspiration didn’t come from a college textbook or even a medical professional: it came from a first grader.

Through Kids Hope USA, Timm has served as a mentor for the same child every week for the last four years. “What began as a simple weekly volunteer commitment soon became one of the most impactful relationships of my life,” says Timm, a 2021 Most Valuable Student scholar sponsored by Greencastle, Ind., Lodge No. 1077. “I never knew someone so young could have so much to teach me.”

Though it took them some time to build trust, Timm’s consistency and dedication helped the relationship grow. Before long, they were sharing about their past experiences, trying new activities together, and even writing letters as Timm studied abroad.

“My contribution was simple: I showed up,” says Timm. “I did my best to be completely present—to make that hour about him and nothing else. In return, he gave me a fresh lens through which to see the world.”

The connection Timm made with her mentee has developed her view of what effective medical care looks like.

“A patient who feels known and understood is more likely to open up, to follow through with treatments, and to seek care earlier and more often,” says Timm, a 2025 Taylor University graduate. “I want to be the kind of doctor who listens with compassion, who builds trust through consistency, and who treats people—not just symptoms.”

Timm’s commitment to service and community goes beyond her mentorship. In the spring of 2025, she attended the Elks Scholar Service Trip in Detroit, where she met 10 other Elks scholars and visited two Elks Lodges. The like-minded peers and mission-driven community that she experienced on the trip have also inspired Timm as she starts medical school.

“My Elks scholarship has meant far more than financial support—it has meant becoming part of a family with a shared intrinsic desire to serve others,” says Timm. “In Elks fashion, I aspire to be a rural family medicine physician because that is where I believe I can be of the most service to a community.”

With the Weigel scholarship, Timm will attend the Indiana University School of Medicine, and plans to practice as a family physician in the future.