Outstanding Service Leader
Ayushka Tiwary
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Congratulations to our Outstanding Service Leader for June 2026, Ayushka Tiwary from the Bloomberg School of Public Health!
Throughout the 2025-26 academic year, Ayushka has shown a tremendous commitment to our Baltimore community and left a lasting impact supporting young patients as an HIV Counselor & Tester at Harriet Lane Clinic! We spoke with her about her experience working in HIV prevention in Baltimore and how others can get involved. Read our interview below to learn more!
Tell us about yourself! What brought you to the BSPH, and what made you want to get involved with the Harriet Lane Clinic?
Hi, I’m Ayushka, a recent MSPH graduate from the Health Systems program! I grew up just north of the border in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and completed my undergraduate studies in life sciences at McMaster University. There, I realized science alone could not explain why certain communities, including my own, face profound health disparities. This led me to pursue a range of community-based projects and research opportunities that challenged me to view health as multidimensional.
I wanted to learn more about how I could promote the health of people and populations in meaningful ways, which brought me to the BSPH. While the BSPH offered many opportunities to immerse myself in international health projects, I have always been drawn to supporting local efforts. So, when I learned about the Harriet Lane Clinic and the opportunity to contribute to HIV prevention in our community, I knew I wanted to get involved.
Can you share a little bit about the work you are doing with the Harriet Lane Clinic as an HIV tester and counselor?
As a state-certified HIV tester and counselor, I support the Harriet Lane Clinic’s HIV prevention program for youth in Baltimore City and surrounding areas. During my shifts, I get to meet young patients who are at high risk for HIV. Many come in feeling anxious, upset, or just drained by the world they live in. For these patients, discrimination and inequity are often a significant part of their stories as they represent Black, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized communities.
Ayushka counseling a patient and explaining the HIV rapid test process
Talking to patients and getting to know them is what makes my work so deeply meaningful, and it’s a critical part of my role. Sitting with each patient in the exam room, I ask questions and work to create a safe space that prompts deeper, insightful, and, sometimes, cathartic conversations. These interactions help me understand the risk factors and barriers I can best support and empower individuals to address as I run their rapid tests, follow up with relevant resources, and document test results and notes in their health records.
Beyond testing, I assist ongoing research projects at the Harriet Lane Clinic by collecting and synthesizing patient data. This past year, I also had the opportunity to support the application review process for our new cohort and mentor incoming volunteers! It was an exciting leadership experience to share and reflect on the lessons I’ve learned from my time here.
Are you aware of any opportunities for other students to volunteer? Are you volunteering with any other organizations where students can also get involved?
Yes! Each fall, the Harriet Lane Clinic and Pride Center of Maryland open applications for their annual HIV testing and counseling program. Each site typically only has a handful of spots and looks for committed, reliable volunteers to support their efforts for the year. I would strongly encourage all interested students to apply, and to think about their motivations and capacity to contribute.
Alongside my work with the Harriet Lane Clinic, I have been serving as a SOURCE student governing board member. As a member, I collaborate with other like-minded individuals to support service-learning opportunities for students. It’s often challenging to reconcile what it means to be part of our institution while trying to serve the city and community in thoughtful and responsible ways. I appreciate the critical reflection and thinking the governing board facilitates in the work we do, and hope more students will get involved with SOURCE and its vast network of really incredible community-based organizations.
"Preventing even a single case of HIV can save upwards of half a million dollars in healthcare costs. And, more importantly, it can spare a person from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and psychological burdens. We often talk about 'saving lives, millions at a time' at the BSPH, but the Harriet Lane Clinic serves as a reminder that working together to empower even one person to take control of their health matters."
How does your community work complement what you are learning in the classroom at BSPH?
Through my time at the Harriet Lane Clinic, I’ve grown more confident and capable as both a counsellor and an individual. Running between the preceptor and exam rooms has given me the privilege of working alongside and learning from other care providers. I’ve come to understand how listening with compassion allows community members to feel seen and heard, and that intentional, non-stigmatizing language is important to creating deeper connections.
BSPH’s classrooms have similarly taught me a lot about the importance of data, communication, and working within multidisciplinary teams to effect public health change. Putting that into practice at the Harriet Lane Clinic has, for me, reinforced how community-based work can be impactful at the health systems level. Preventing even a single case of HIV can save upwards of half a million dollars in healthcare costs. And, more importantly, it can spare a person from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and psychological burdens. We often talk about “saving lives, millions at a time” at the BSPH, but the Harriet Lane Clinic serves as a reminder that working together to empower even one person to take control of their health matters.
What is the most important experience you’ve had or most critical thing you’ve learned so far through working with our community?
The most important takeaway from my experience at the Harriet Lane Clinic is that true community engagement is rooted in context and humility. As students studying here, we hold many assumptions about this city and its people, but it’s important to reflect on and challenge those assumptions when working with communities, especially communities that have been oppressed and marginalized by our systems.
Through working with our community, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for understanding the context and histories surrounding this place and its people. Baltimore has some of the highest rates of HIV in this country, and it’s essential to understand the wide array of factors implicated in the issue when supporting community members. This means connecting youth to resources beyond HIV prevention and care, like transportation, financial aid, and mental health support.
I am deeply grateful to my supervisor, Yeng Yang, for making this experience so transformative and enriching through his thoughtful mentorship. And for each patient, who has taught me something profound and cemented the values I strive to carry forward as I move onto medical school this fall. I look forward to contributing more, continuing to learn, and engaging communities through compassionate person-centred care grounded in equity and advocacy.