“It is my belief that restoring health through medicine is both the most universal and most intimate way to help mankind,” Matthew Lin, Connecticut ’18, says.

After embarking on a medical service trip to Guatemala for two weeks during winter break, Lin recounts the invaluable experience he gained by assisting medical teams at different clinics in the country. He plans on pursuing a career as a health care professional.

“I will never forget the feeling of responsibility and trust placed in me as a healthcare provider and the power I had to improve a person’s life,” Lin said of the experience.

Not many pre-med students have the opportunity to treat patients or travel to a different country to gain experience. The values of SigEp’s Balanced Man Program have inspired Lin’s personal goal of pursuing a career in medicine, as he is committing himself to a lifetime of both learning and serving others.

“The values of Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love have become integrated in all the ways I set out to achieve my goals.”

Through embodying Sound Mind and Sound Body principles, Lin and his chapter hold each other accountable to high standards of success.

“The way I conduct myself in the classroom and, more importantly, outside of the classroom in any social or professional interaction has improved greatly since participating in the BMP,” Lin says.

However, Lin’s acts of brotherly love are not limited to his chapter. Lin extends this value to every part of his life, even to his patients in Guatemala.

“Part of my dedication to the medical profession is in helping those who fall get back up on their feet and push on to achieve great things,” Lin says.

“I see that the Fraternity extends beyond any one individual brother and that my contribution to help my brothers succeed is the ultimate achievement of our chapter.”