Serving as both the director and one of the nurse practitioners at the Student Health Center, Elaine Eng is ensuring the college is meeting the students’ health care needs. From delivering proper medical services to having an adequate supply of tools and resources, Eng strives to have a smooth-running center at every level.
“The Student Health Center is your first stop for your health care needs,” Eng said. “We’re dedicated to promoting the academic and personal achievement of students through the enhancement of the physical, mental, and emotional wellness of the college community.”
The Student Health Center is staffed with physicians and nurse practitioners available to assist students daily. Most services offered at the center are free, including consultations, Covid tests, Narcan, Phenol test strips, condoms, menstrual supplies, and over-the-counter medications like painkillers and bandages. Additionally, the Student Health Center oversees The Mental Health Counseling Center, which provides on-campus counselors and therapy services at no cost to students. These services encompass individual, couples, and family therapy.
“Your health fee allows you to come and visit us, talking to us at no cost. Sometimes there’s a small fee for immunizations or laboratory services, but we try to help our students as best as possible if there's any financial issue,” Eng said. “If we can’t provide the services, I will make sure to provide access to them through outside programs.”
Diving deeper into her character and career, Elaine shared with us a little more about her academic journey that would take about eight years to complete. Coming from Chinese immigrant parents and being a first-generation student, Elaine reflects on how much education has shaped her into the woman she is now.
“I feel so blessed and fortunate because my parents helped me alot, they immigrated here and came from nothing and that was a really hard road. Education really opened the doors.” Elaine said.
Elaine took a class at City College as part of her educational journey, she needed an anatomy class to get into her nursing program. She was trying to find a place that was affordable, and she found that at this community college.
“This campus was much smaller back then but what was unique about my experience here was that the class was full, everyone went on the first day and then we all put our names into this hat, to see who would get the ‘lucky ticket’ to either get off the list or to be part of it.,” Eng said. “And they pulled my name and I felt like I won this great ticket, and now I’m back here.”