Blending Service and Science Through CELA

The Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA) has helped Ellie Pollock-Ballard ’26 refine her goals of becoming a pediatrician and volunteering in the nonprofit sector.

With support from Oberlin's Bonner Center, Pollock-Ballard obtained her first volunteer role with the Ninde Scholars Program. As a Ninde tutor, she worked one-on-one with high school students in the Oberlin City School District. “Working with my scholars at the local high school has helped me uncover my desire to work with youth and support them in pursuing their endeavors,” she says.

A biology major, Pollock-Ballard later volunteered as a tutor with the America Counts program, where she worked with local elementary school students. In this role, she expanded her mentorship experience to younger learners.

Further developing her passion for service, Pollock-Ballard spent a winter term volunteering with Oberlin Community Services (OCS). There, she learned how the needs of different communities vary and was inspired to continue serving beyond her four weeks.

During a summer internship, Pollock-Ballard joined the development team at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio, a nonprofit serving children and families. She balanced day-to-day operational tasks with strategic and logistical work behind the scenes. “It was incredible to see how both sides of the house work together to achieve their mission of ‘keeping families close.’”

CELA also helped Pollock-Ballard strengthen her interests and skills in medical research. As a fellow in the Oberlin Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (OSURF) program—now known as the Oberlin Summer Research Institute Fellowship—she worked in a developmental biology lab. “Clinical research is a key component of medicine, so it was important to me to gain experience conducting research as an undergraduate to help set myself up for success on my journey to become a physician.”

During a later winter term, Pollock-Ballard shadowed a pediatrician at a local clinic. This experience reaffirmed her interest in pediatrics and helped her develop practical interpersonal skills essential to the profession. 

Her experiences working with and mentoring children have deepened her sense of purpose. She now plans to pursue a medical degree and become a pediatrician, while continuing her commitment to nonprofit service.

Pollock-Ballard is a nominee for the CELA Award, recognizing outstanding engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.