Maria Tavares Balhara

Maria Balhara, from Hollywood, Florida, is a junior pre-medical student at the University of Pennsylvania studying philosophy and religion. Each summer, she serves as an AmeriCorps science teacher, supporting first-generation and underserved middle school students. With support from a university grant, she is leading a project titled "Escaping Homelessness: Pathways to a Future Where It Is Brief and Nonrecurring," which uses philosophy to better understand the conditions that help people exit homelessness (housing security is a key SDOH). Maria is beginning her training in Clinical Pastoral Education at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), learning how spiritual and emotional support can shape the patient experience. In her free time, you can find her at the Christian Association or walking along Schuylkill River.