"Meaningful impact doesn’t always come from grand gestures. Sometimes it comes from showing up where people are often overlooked.” - Lizbeth Polanco

Today, Lizbeth Polanco works on the front lines of healthcare as an Emergency Room Technician. She monitors cardiac rhythms, takes vital signs, assists during emergencies, and alerts nurses to changes in patient condition. The work is fast-paced, demanding, and often high stress. It is also deeply meaningful.

Lizbeth traces much of her clarity and confidence back to the summer of 2022, when she served as a Resource Center Intern with the New London Homeless Hospitality Center through Elevate+. At the time, she was a student at the University of Connecticut, where she has since graduated. What began as a summer internship would become a defining step in her journey toward medicine.

Showing Up Where People Are Overlooked

When Lizbeth reflects on her internship, one experience stands out.

As a Resource Center Intern, she was responsible for outreach related to the MyHomeCT program, driving to rural communities and delivering detailed flyers to town halls and post offices, places where access to information can be limited. At the time, it felt like a small task. Just making sure the right information reached the right places.

Not long after, a couple reached out after seeing one of those flyers. They later emailed their gratitude and praised the outreach efforts to the Connecticut Housing Authority. That outreach helped them avoid foreclosure and keep their home.

“Meaningful impact doesn’t always come from grand gestures,” Lizbeth reflects. “Sometimes it comes from showing up where people are often overlooked and making sure they are supported.”

The experience reshaped how she sees service. It was not just about individual assistance. It was about systems, communication, and access.

“I Can Do This.”

Another moment affirmed her path.

A Spanish-speaking gentleman came into the center visibly distressed about his living situation. As the only Spanish speaker on staff that day, Lizbeth stepped in. He was overwhelmed and unsure of his options. She listened carefully, worked through his concerns step by step, and helped him understand available resources.

By the end of their conversation, his demeanor had shifted. He felt relief. He felt heard.

Walking away, Lizbeth realized something important.

“I can do this.”

That moment strengthened her confidence in high-stress environments and affirmed her ability to support people during vulnerable moments, skills that now translate directly into the emergency department.

From Internship to Impact

After her internship concluded, Lizbeth continued working with the New London Homeless Hospitality Center in different capacities. She remained part-time during school and helped more than 500 individuals avoid eviction through the UniteCT program.

The internship did more than give her experience. It gave her relationships. It gave her systems knowledge. It gave her professional footing.

“Without this internship, I would not have been able to build the connections I currently have,” she says.

Her mentor, Rain Daugherty, played an essential role in that journey. Clear, detail-oriented, and deeply supportive, Rain celebrated Lizbeth’s wins and provided steady guidance. When Lizbeth helped save the MyHomeCT family’s home, it was Rain who forwarded the grateful email and made sure she understood the impact of her work.

Rain later offered her a job. Lizbeth accepted without hesitation.

They remain connected today. Rain has written multiple letters of recommendation and continues to support Lizbeth as she prepares for medical school.

Translating Service into Medicine

As an Emergency Room Technician, Lizbeth’s internship lessons surface daily.

She strongly agrees that her Elevate+ experience built her confidence interacting with people in high-stress and service-oriented environments. It influenced her decision to pursue healthcare. It strengthened her ability to remain composed in crisis.

But perhaps most importantly, it shaped how she understands medicine.

Her internship exposed her to systems-level work and government assistance programs. She saw firsthand how policy, communication, and access shape people’s lives.

“Being an effective healthcare professional means understanding systems and being a provider who not only treats disease but also advocates for equitable access to resources,” she explains.

That systems awareness now informs how she approaches patient care.

Looking Forward

Today, Lizbeth continues to build her clinical experience while preparing for medical school. She has participated in medical service trips to Sri Lanka and Ghana and hopes to continue serving globally in the future.

When asked to describe the impact Elevate+ had on her journey, she puts it simply:

“Elevate+ gave me the tools and connections necessary to turn my passion for helping others into meaningful action.”

Her advice to students considering an internship?

“Take the chance, even if the opportunity isn’t exactly what you would normally pursue. Sometimes the experiences you least expect end up having the biggest impact.”

For Lizbeth, a summer internship became something much more. It became preparation. It became perspective. It became purpose.