The University of Tulsa’s Office of Civic Engagement is proud to honor senior Megan Helmberger with the 2022 Marcy Lawless Service Award. Helmberger graduated on May 7 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, along with completing the requirements of a pre-health professions track.
During her time at TU, Helmberger was involved with the Reformed University Fellowship student organization, providing service and outreach both on campus and in the greater Tulsa community. “My faith is what drives me to help those who are underserved,” Helmberger noted; “and while I have always been involved in service, it was in college that I began to see my service as a way to pour into others more abundantly.”
Establishing trust and relationships
One community initiative Helmberger found especially meaningful is Under the Bridge, which is led by the Tulsa-based nonprofit organization One Hope Tulsa. Her efforts included undertaking direct outreach to people experiencing homelessness, providing hot meals and connecting them to area resources. Helmberger feels that establishing trust and building relationships is a critical part of being able to help people who have experienced trauma and are too often overlooked.
Servant leadership
An ethic of servant leadership was also evident in Helmberger’s activities on campus. During her years at TU, she has enjoyed mentoring incoming students, offering them encouragement and friendship. “It is important to me to let students know ‘You are always welcome in my group,’ so they know they have a place where they can spend time with others and always belong,” she said. New Student Programs Director Kyle Meador worked with Helmberger in her role as a peer mentor, describing her as “persistently positive.”
“Megan is the warmth and caring voice you need in the room. She helped two cohorts of first-year students know they have a place they belong at TU,” he said.
This fall, Helmberger will be enrolled in the physician assistant program at the OU-TU School of Community Medicine. She hopes to continue helping others through medical missions and by providing medical assistance in underserved communities.
If you’re fired up to serve the Tulsa community during your student years, you’ll definitely want to connect with True Blue Neighbors.