Jazz Moreno is currently pursuing her doctorate in physical therapy at Tufts University. Reflecting on her experience in South Africa during the summer of 2019, she recalls feeling genuinely welcomed as a guest in the Zola community where she was volunteering with her other ACE teammates. Inspired by this experience, Jazz aspires to imbue that same sense of community into her role as a physical therapist by actively participating in local community outreach efforts.
What are you doing now? How has ACE influenced your career pathway?
After I finished undergrad at Duke, I pursued my Master’s degree from Fuqua’s MMS program. I was able to use my fifth year of eligibility to play one more season of softball. I am currently about to start my last semester of DPT school at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA. I am looking forward to graduating this December! My current plan after graduation is to move to Maui, Hawaii where I have officially accepted a pediatrics physical therapy position. A big reason why I picked to work for this specific company is due to its mission, which is to engage in community outreach as much as possible. My involvement in community outreach definitely intensified after my time in South Africa. ACE really gave me the tools to learn how to engage with communities and figure out the best way I can get involved.
Share one lesson from ACE that still holds today.
A lesson that still holds true today and that I will forever be indebted to, is the way the children of Zola taught me how to appreciate the little things in life. During those three weeks, it was evident the township faced economic hardships and lacked resources, but they didn’t care. They treated everyone like family and accepted us into their family. Those kids showed up every day filled with happiness and not a care in the world. They didn’t focus on what they didn’t have but were present with the time they had with each other. I think that has made me realize to really embrace being in the moment every day and appreciate those I do have in my life.
Describe your ACE experience in as few words as possible:
Impactful, Service, Growth.
What’s one thing you want people to know about ACE?
One thing I would want people to know about ACE is that it is a once-in-a-lifetime program that gives student-athletes the opportunity to not only grow and embrace new cultures but also to give back to communities in need.