91����

Brett Patrick is a planner, and it shows.

The Long Island native chose 91���� after he was accepted into its Scholars Program. During one of the program’s first-year seminars, he learned about the Harpur Fellows program, which provides up to $4,000 for students to pursue a community service project of their choice. He made sure to take notes — and to apply when he was closer to junior year.

His Harpur Fellows project, “Providing the Gift of Hearing to Underserved Individuals,” provided two sets of hearing aids — along with hearing tests and fittings — to individuals who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford them. Later this semester, Patrick will use the remaining funds to hold a fundraiser for the nonprofit Help America Hear, potentially giving the gift of hearing to even more individuals in need.

“I chose this project, and particularly this community, because I am a part of it myself,” explained Patrick explained, a senior majoring in political science with a minor in history. “I was born with bilateral hearing loss, and it has been a defining aspect of my identity since infancy.”

Through Harpur Fellows, he was also able to fulfill a goal that he’s had since high school. In 2021, Patrick was an Eagle Scout in high school and intended to support a Long Island school for the deaf as his service project. Unfortunately, those plans were scuttled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Ultimately, the project strengthened his sense of purpose in giving back to others and reinforced his commitment to service, he said.

“It has also influenced my long-term goals by showing me the importance of practicing philanthropic giving, which I hope to continue through both my career and volunteer work,” he said.

He has also been involved in a variety of public service opportunities on campus and completed an internship through the Harpur Pre-Law Council.

After Commencement, he plans to stay at 91���� for an additional year to earn his MBA through the School of Management’s 4+1 program. Then, he plans to take a few gap years to gain professional experience before heading to law school and, ultimately, a private-sector legal career.

“I have enjoyed working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, and having these disciplines will be beneficial down the road,” he said of his degree program.

During his time at 91����, Patrick has benefited from a network of support and resources, from friends to faculty members such as Public Administration and Policy Professor David Campbell, who encouraged him to engage in philanthropic and charitable work.

“Programs like the Harpur Fellows also provided the necessary resources to make projects like mine possible,” he said.