In the Fall of 2016, UNC senior Quentin Tatum of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, was accepted into the Honors Semester Abroad Program in London, which allowed me to take classes abroad and intern at one of London’s finest surgery clinics, Park End Surgery.
During Tatum’s internship, he helped form an alliance between three surgery clinics in terms of finance, staff, and physical resources. Additionally, he organized weekly walks for patients, surveyed homebound patients, and attended meetings within the National Health Services of England.
While there, Tatum was also able to travel to France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. He mentioned that his internship experience in addition to the museums, monuments, concentration camps, and palaces that he visited had a profound effect on his travel. Tatum encourages all students “to look beyond the borders of the United States and travel! There’s so much more to see in this world besides North Carolina.” Luckily, Tatum’s traveling will not halt just yet.
Tatum was recently named a recipient of the Frances L. Phillips Travel Scholarship that provides an opportunity for juniors and seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to engage in individual self-designed and directed international travel experiences for periods ranging from two months to six months.
With that being said, Tatum will be spending the summer in Darwin, Sydney, and Melbourne, Australia. Due to his love for public health and indigenous communities, he will be conducting public health research within Aboriginal Communities. At the moment, his plans include partnering with individual health clinics and cultural organizations to not only engage in the health aspects of these communities, but also the cultural side. Tatum is ecstatic and considers himself truly blessed to have received this opportunity. This scholarship will allow Tatum to pursue his passions, while serving as a huge stepping stone in his academic and professional career.
When asked if he had any thoughts and words of wisdom for his fellow Tar Heels, Tatum said, “For all those who are thinking about studying abroad—DO IT! Studying abroad is a chance to meet diverse individuals, exchange cultural values, and expand your knowledge outside of the U.S textbooks.”
Tatum is a senior at The University of North Carolina, double majoring in Exercise and Sport Science & American Indian and Indigenous Studies with plans to pursue a Master’s in Public Health after graduation.
The American Indian Center is thrilled to hear the experiences Tatum is acquiring and the impact that his is making in communities abroad. We look forward to hearing about his next steps.
