Perkins Makes Mark Off the Court in Guatemala
Women's basketball senior Alana Perkins was a long way from home when she first came to Bryant, over 1000 miles from her hometown of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Her internship experience this summer, though, took her even further.
Perkins is known to most for her shooting prowess, which is reflected by her 151 career three-pointers and the highest three-point percentage in Division I program history, but the Biology Pre-Health major has also made an impact off the court. She spent time this summer working at a free dental clinic in Guatemala, a volunteer effort organized by VAW Global Health Alliances, a program dedicated to providing dental and healthcare to poor and underserved communities.
The program saw Perkins spend ten days in Guatemala, assisting with crowns, fillings, extractions, and other standard dental care. The clinical experience was not necessarily the most impactful part of her journey, though.
"I think it was just realizing how important the patients made us feel. They were so appreciative of the work we did because they are in a poor community without access to dental care. There were people from 18-60 years old who had never been to the dentist before." Perkins said when describing the importance of the program to the community.
A "humbling" experience, the trip only fortifies her goals of making an impact on the world through dentistry. Perkins plans on attending dental school after finishing her undergraduate degree, and hopes to continue the spirit of her work in Guatemala:
"I love helping people, and I think that my main goal is to help people who are in underserved communities and to help them get access to healthcare."
Perkins has amassed a 3.9 GPA and multiple NEC Commissioner's Honor Roll selections, played in the NEC Tournament Championship, and will graduate as one of the top shooters in program history. These are all highlights of her academic and athletic careers at Bryant, but possibly her biggest impact came thousands of miles from Smithfield.