Often, when working with kids, they teach you more than you teach them.
That’s the case for Chesapeake Payment Systems' own Erin Johnston. For four years, Erin has been a volunteer for the Medical Explorers, a group facilitated by African American male fraternity Epsilon Delta Boulé, aimed at helping high school students interested in the medical field as a career.
Local doctors offer workshops once a month on various topics like respiratory science, pediatrics or ophthalmology, typically held at Sentara Williamsburg.
Interestingly, Erin has no medical background, rather Erin serves as an advisor to the treasurer, helping put reports together and coordinate dues. Even so, she attends every single meeting.
“I get to learn about the medical field and meet doctors and folks within the industry,” she said. “They are community members of ours that are participating in outreach to these high school students.”
The most important takeaway isn’t the financial reports, medical knowledge or networking… it’s the kids.
“Interacting with these kids — they’re so curious. They ask really good questions. I didn’t expect them to be as engaged as they are,” said Erin. “It’s really rewarding to be able to volunteer your time and create relationships with these kids. I was able to write a letter of recommendation for one for college, and that was a nice feeling to be able to provide that extra encouragement for them.”
And like so many other Chesapeake Bank employees, for Erin, her job at the bank lends itself perfectly to her work with the Medical Explorers.
“Business Development Officers are really liaisons with the community. My job is to create genuine relationships with our customers, and it’s the same thing I’m doing with Medical Explorers,” she said.
“I’m able to interact with the students, maybe teach them something and create genuine relationships with them that will last forever; that’s how I see myself in my position at Chesapeake Bank — as a representative of the bank aiming to connect with our community and its members.”
For more information about Medical Explorers, please contact Erin Johnston at ejohnston@chesbank.com.