Congratulations to Erin Hersey, DMD 17, October’s Member of the Month! She is this years Health and Wellness Chair, and has been doing an AMAZING job. This past month she collaborated with the Community Outreach Committee in organizing the first BU ASDA Team for the Oral Cancer Awareness 5k Run/Walk. Health and Wellness has a lot more in store for us and we can’t wait!
            Erin was born in New London, Connecticut but grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire. She wanted to join ASDA and specifically the Health and Wellness Committee because it allowed her to combine her passion for an active lifestyle while also getting involved with the school. Her answer on the topic was, “I was a division one swimmer during my undergraduate years at FAU and staying active has always been a big part of my life. I wanted to share that with my peers here at BU, and ASDA was the perfect medium to do that! I think having a balanced life is so important in being a successful student and future health professional.”

When asked what she enjoys most about her committee she answered, “ I love that everyone in my committee truly enjoys health and wellness. It's such an incredible energy to get people together who are passionate about staying healthy. Whether it’s running, yoga, cooking, or biking, everyone in our committee has an activity that they incorporate into their busy lives to stay balanced.” 

When Erin is not in class or clinic, you can usually find her running loops around the Charles River or training with her city running team, The Heartbreakers. She also enjoys playing volleyball (Go Flossorapters!), cooking, swimming, and yoga. When asked about what was on her bucket list she replied, “I would love to live in Italy for a short time to learn more about cooking and wine. There are so many places that I want to travel to in the world.”
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And we will finally leave you with Erin’s favorite ASDA moment:
“My most memorable ASDA moment/event is our Annual BU Dental Night at the local running shop, Heartbreak Hill Running Company. This event happens in November, and includes a free workout for GSDM students as well as a store discount on running shoes and clothes! Keep an eye out for upcoming details on this year’s event, which will be held on Wednesday, November 4th!”
 
Thank you for everything you do for ASDA Erin! We’re so lucky to have you on our team! 

​Our committee had our first annual meeting with its newest members last week Wednesday. We would like to welcome the new DMD 19’s into our fold. We’re glad to see that so many of you are already catching the #ASDAfever!
 
We discussed this year’s upcoming Fundraising events, like the toothbrush sale in November and our biggest event of next year (and most FUN, in my opinion) – the annual BU ASDA Golf Tournament. We’ll be sending out a save the date soon so that all of you golfers can bring your golf clubs back with you from the December holiday. We’re also very excited to announce that the creation of our online marketplace is currently in the works. The marketplace will serve as an online store through which members of the BU community can browse and purchase apparel. This website will serve as an accessible and convenient interface that will allow students and faculty alike to view the different apparel options available to them, add items to their cart and check out immediately with their credit card. We’re aiming to have this website up and running prior to the Spring Apparel Sale, so stay tuned for updates on its progress!
 
As you all know, we just recently wrapped up our Fall BU ASDA apparel sale. The sale was a huge success, with both new and old members of the BU Dental community coming out to buy apparel for not only themselves, but their friends and family as well. Our newest item, the Quarter Zip hoodie, was in particularly high demand! The orders should be coming in within the next few weeks. We can’t wait to see all of you looking fresh in your new apparel in the coming winter months!
 
Stay warm,
Love from your FUNdraisers

​1. Where are you from?
I'm from Orinda, CA which is a small town 20 min east of San Francisco (go warriors!)


2. What is your favorite television show?
My favorite tv show...it's a tie between That 70's Show and Friends. No matter how many times I've seen an episode, I still laugh at the jokes the same as I did the first time I saw it


3. What would be your dream vacation?
Dream vacation would be somewhere in South America


4. Out of the 50 states, how many have you visited?
I've been to 13 states (I think?)


5. Chocolate or vanilla?
If it's ice cream, vanilla...but everything else, chocolate!

​In a few weeks, Katherine Moynihan and myself will be attending the 5th Annual Student Professionalism and Ethics Association (SPEA) Conference in Washington, DC! The organization promotes ethics and ethical discussion among dental students.
 
I thought I would share my favorite exercise form last year’s conference with you all!
 
Search #DentalSchoolProblems on Instagram. When we did this at the conference, we easily found selfies of dental students with nitrous cannulas on, captions that said “I’m only in lab because I can’t afford an assistant” and tons of pictures of students with copious amounts of alcohol.
 
Most of the pictures we found were harmless. They were small complaints about schoolwork and lab assignments that are funny because of the “dental spin”. The inappropriate pictures scattered in between, though, are what families and patients will remember.
 
We all make mistakes. Social media is (relatively) new to society, and we’re still trying to figure it out. The problem is when we don’t incorporate ethics into the decision-making process. We worry more about “How many likes will I get?” instead of “Would I want MY newly extracted, necrotic teeth posted to someone’s Instagram account?” If you rationally think through all of the consequences of posting that picture, and come to the conclusion that it’s okay, that’s your choice. If you disregard the importance of any ethical analysis before posting, and choose not to take responsibility for any potential consequences, then that is unethical.
 
I’m looking forward to this year’s conference and working to make #idealboston2016
 

​The new school year brings about excitement and joy, but also fear. Fear of the unexpected, what is to come and how to handle it. When I started dental school, I was anxious, but also excited to get involved in school and join a student organization that encompassed a lot of my passions. I found it within the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Already this committee made me feel at home within the BU GSDM community, and offered me the opportunity to express my ideas and work with other student organizations. If a member has an idea, the committee comes together to try and make this idea reality. One aspect I enjoyed was meeting new members and interacting with the old members, while working together to make an impact within the student body. Although, this is a young committee they have strived to create common ground and embrace everyone’s differences, uniqueness and cultural perspectives. This is noteworthy because BU GSDM students come from all over the world.
 
We are a forward thinking committee and to accomplish our goals, we have planned several events in the upcoming academic year. These include the newly established annual multicultural night, a talent show, AIDS awareness week, black history month event, volunteer opportunities, and much more. In planning these activities, it is our goal to unify the BU GSDM community.
 
We invite those not apart of the committee to learn more about Diversity and Inclusion, and most importantly get involved in our activities and events.

1) Where are you from?
               I am a global citizen! I am Ugandan, South African and Canadian.
2)What is your favorite TV show?
               The American drama series 'Empire' hands down. One episode is packed with so much drama and suspense to last a                  week. 
3) What was the last song you listened to?
               Beneath your beautiful by Labrinth ft. Emeli Sande. A soulful tune that brightened up my day.
4)If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
                I would like to live in Peru, and visit Machu Picchu while I am there.
5) Amalgam or composite?
                Amalgam, for it does not blend in, but stands out for its strong material qualities.