UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Our chapter at the University of Southern California believes that access to medical supplies will improve health equity and sustainability both in Los Angeles and on a global scale. We reallocate unused products to communities in need by creating a symbiotic network between suppliers and nonprofit collaborators.
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Executive Board
The USC chapter was founded in 2020 and has grown to a team of over 24 passionate students who are dedicated to fulfilling the mission of the organization and bridging health inequity gaps in the Greater Los Angeles area and abroad. Since our founding, the USC chapter has reallocated over $120,000 worth of N95 masks and isolation gowns in the peak of the pandemic from a corporate donor to 8 nonprofits including Share-A-Meal, Not Just Tourists, LavaMaeX, and Healing Hearts Across Borders. This shipment weighed over 650 pounds and included approximately 17,700 N95 masks and 800 sterile isolation gowns. These supplies have primarily benefited unhoused individuals residing in Los Angeles, volunteers for these organizations, and clinics in Mexico.
Sana Shah
Chapter President
Class of 2022
Majoring in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
I started Blueprints For Pangaea at USC because I saw how much the South Central community was struggling during the pandemic. Los Angeles is a sprawling city with millions of people and various underserved communities. I know that barriers to healthcare, especially now, can be fatal. Providing access to much-needed medical resources will save lives and save the environment, and I am so grateful to play a tiny role in changing our community for the better. Blueprints For Pangaea has taught me how to apply my knowledge and skills in a medical setting as I hope to pursue a career in medicine following graduation. In particular, I hope to become a gerontologist, focusing on the science of aging and the progression of chronic diseases throughout life.
Gaveen Godage
VP - Development
Class of 2024
Majoring in Human Biology
I joined Blueprints For Pangaea because I believe that it is imperative to provide equal healthcare and medical service to those living in under-resourced communities across the globe. Working for Blueprints for Pangaea is a way for me to promote global humanity and take action towards a mission that directly coincides with my personal values. In the future, I aspire to be a doctor that not only fosters compassionate face-to-face patient interactions but also maximizes the back-end productivity of healthcare. I also hope to take my skills overseas and provide care in third-world countries. The global exposure and healthcare knowledge gained through Blueprints for Pangaea will undeniably aid me during my future ambitions.
Asna Tabassum
VP - Operations
Class of 2024
Majoring in Biomedical Engineering, Minoring in Health Policy
I joined B4P as a way to make a tangible, real-life impact in the health equity space. I am passionate about equitable healthcare access, especially as related to international medicine and infrastructure; being able to help B4P with its mission in supply equity is personally fulfilling. My career aspirations are being a physician in international medicine, but also using these experiences to reform health policy and infrastructure in developing countries. Blueprints and medical supply reallocation not only provides a window to health equity, but also infrastructural issues within healthcare accessibility.
Thordar Han
VP - Finance
Class of 2025
Majoring in Computational Neuroscience
I was initially drawn to B4P’s mission statement because of my personal ties to communities in the country of Myanmar, where medical supplies are severely lacking. B4P presented a unique opportunity to address the ubiquitous issue of health inequity, both locally and globally, alongside a group of people with high levels of passion, motivation, and genuine concern. Through working with Blueprints in order to fulfill the goals embodied by its vision, I look forward to making a direct impact in the lives of people who would benefit greatly from access to the basic right of healthcare.
Nick Wong
Director - Human Resources
Class of 2022
Majoring in Human Biology, Minor: Health Policy
It has always been a belief of mine that all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, should have access to healthcare, whether it be a doctor or medical resources. Though the health policy minor, I was exposed to the various issues our current healthcare system has with resource inefficiency and wasteful spending. Joining up with Blueprint For Pangaea gave me a chance to combat these issues that plague our current healthcare system and bring necessary care to those in underprivileged communities. After graduating, I hope to enter the field of hospital administration and health policy to work on projects that help improve the resource and cost efficiency of the current healthcare system, as well as ensure that underprivileged communities have access to quality healthcare. Further down the line, I hope to become a dermatologist, so I would be able to help those who have suffered from skin conditions as I have as a child.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Operations
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Nonprofit Research: Interviewed and researched 13 possible nonprofit beneficiaries in areas such as homelessness, international medicine, and family caregiver support, performing a community needs assessment
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Donor Research: Reached out to a dozen hospitals for purposes of donor acquisition and to understand hospital sustainability initiatives
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Connections and Networks: Established solid relationships with nonprofits, hospitals, and other MRSOs both locally and globally, as well as forming a database of providers and points of contact for a comprehensive network
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Storage and Transportation Research: Engaged in research on storage and transportation options to establish the foundation of which Blueprints can reach its objectives
Best Practices Research: Established and researched best practices and procedures to ensure that efficient and quality work is maintained in all operations -
Shipment: Performing a shipment of isolation gowns and face fields, reallocating these resources to areas of need as early in our first semester.
Development
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Professional Development Workshop: Creating and hosting scenario-based simulations in order to train our members on best practices for beneficiary and donor recruitment
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Onboarding Process + Recruitment: 100+ applicants in Spring 2021 resulted in a dynamic founding class of 15 members. Implementing an onboarding process whereby new recruits will all be educated on B4P’s values and thoroughly prepared for the tasks at hand.
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Daily Trojan Article Release: One of the most popular media outlets at our university reported on our organization’s progression this year (https://dailytrojan.com/2021/02/09/blueprints-for-pangaea-reallocates-medical-supplies-to-those-in-need/)
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Advisor Outreach: Secured two club advisors from the Keck School of Medicine who are knowledgeable in the clinical practices and sustainability
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Became a Registered Student Organization at USC: Creation of a constitution, mission statement, and an onboarding process, thus establishing ourselves as an official USC organization
Finance
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Venmo Bingo Fundraiser: Raising over $800 in donations which were marketed via social media platforms
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Grant applications: Focus on applying to local California and USC based grants or funds
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Research Database: Creating a research director for our chapter based on viable opportunities in regards to grants, workshops, scholarships and fundraisers
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Financial Progress: Standardizing our first financial statements and budgeting to keep track of finances in the short-term and long-term
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Pitch Deck: Creating a pitch deck to standardize grant applications that require a presentation discussing the organization’s mission and impact
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Financial Accounts: Opened banking, Venmo, and GoFundMe accounts
Recruitment
The Southern California branch of Blueprints For Pangaea is the first B4P chapter on the West Coast. We will be tackling a multitude of issues that plague the Los Angeles community, including air pollution, inaccessible health care for low-income communities, and the opioid crisis. Blueprints For Pangaea is an organization at the intersection of nonprofit sector management, global health, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. We are currently recruiting USC students who are passionate about entrepreneurship, sustainability, and global health and aspire to evoke positive worldly change. The duties of general members usually vary by branch – Operations members will focus on hospital partnerships and the medical supply pipeline, Development members will focus on nonprofit collaborations and marketing, and Finance members will focus on fundraising, grants, and measuring our organization’s monetary impact. In particular, we are currently looking for members for our Finance and Development chapters.
If you want to learn more about our organization and meet some of our members, we will be at the Inter-Health Council Involvement Fair next Friday, January 21st, from 11am-2pm. Please direct any questions to blueprintsforpangaea-usc@b4pglobal.org.