As a Newcomb Senior recently, returned from Spain and looking to synthesize her two degrees, in addition to combining the fields of academic & experiential learning in trail-blazing ways, Ms. Sachs volunteered at the YWCA Battered Women's Program and designed the first, 'Internship For Credit' class within the Tulane Women's Studies Department, in coordination with Newcomb College Center For Research on Women founder, Dr. Beth Willinger. Within two years, this 'Internship for Credit' class became a required course to graduate from the Women's Studies Department and eleven years later, through Jennifer's academic model and community, activism, as well as other influences, Tulane University created the Center for Public Service to include a mandatory, 'Service Learning Internship' Capstone for all undergraduate degree completion. While completing her undergraduate degree, Ms. Sachs not only, volunteered and sought employment off-campus but also, worked as a Lifeguard at the Reily Center and played for the Tulane Intramural Field Hockey Team. Throughout her undergraduate training, Jennifer consistently, received Honor Role, Dean's List and Academic scholarships.
From 1994-1997, Jennifer expanded her connections with Newcomb, Tulane, and New Orleans while traveling around the country to explore the newly, re-birthing field of Natural Healing in her work with women and diverse, minority populations, including rural communities and Native Americans. Such accomplishments during this time include co-founding the first bi-lingual, English-Spanish HIV/AIDS Hotline for women in New Mexico and serving as a Medical Translator in the Maternity & Infant Care Department of the University of New Mexico Teaching Hospital. In 1997, Jennifer returned to Tulane's University College to pursue Post-baccalaureate work in the Pre-Medical Sciences and Jewish Studies, during which time she served as the Vice-President of the Tulane Pre-Medical Society and as an active member of the Tulane Green Club. In her role as Pre-Medical Society Vice-President, Jennifer expanded student programming and mentorship to include Alternative & Holistic Medicine, as well as other interdisciplinary, Health-based careers; created the Big Buddy-Little Buddy Program which linked undergraduate Pre-Medical students with graduate Medical students for mentorship; and worked to insure the Pre-Medical Advisory program shifted its vision and name to the more, cutting-edge and inclusive, Pre-Health Advisory program.
In 1998, while enrolled in Post-baccalaureate classes, Ms. Sachs began a Masters of Science in Public Health at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Her first year as a graduate student, Jennifer participated both as student and Holistic Healing/Yoga Instructor, alongside other esteemed, Holistic Health Practitioners in 'Traditional Methods & Alternative Therapies'--the inaugural, Holistic Health course for credit offered jointly, by Tulane Medical School and Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine. In 2000, Ms. Sachs also, received a course certificate in Chinese Herbal Healing from the Barefoot Doctors Academy. Throughout this time, Ms. Sachs actively, campaigned to provide Medical Students with a more Holistic, Integrative, and Patient-Centered Curriculum and in 2001 worked as a Standardized Patient in the newly, innovated, Tulane Medical School & Hospital Standardized Patient Pilot Program which, within a few, short years, was approved as a core requirement for all Medical Students graduating from all programs in the USA. From 1998-2005, Ms. Sachs worked part-time on her graduate studies and related experiences, including traveling to Israel various times, through esteemed scholarships and awards for her community work, to study and work in Israeli & Middle Eastern Environmental & Global Public Health and Peacemaking.
In 2005 and 2007, Ms. Sachs created the first, Yoga Clinics within Tulane Athletics, instructing the Women's Swim Team and Volleyball Team and later, brought these clinics to the newly, developed Paterson Wellness dorm on campus. In 2006, Newcomb College Institute's inaugural academic year, as well as in 2008, Ms. Sachs lectured and instructed students in Organic & Seasonal Cooking, Chinese Medicine, and Herbal Healing theory and practice, as part of Newcomb College Institute's 'Fridays at Newcomb' & Newcomb Arts Festival Programming. Ms. Sachs has also, volunteered at Newcomb College Institute's 'Newcomb Networking Night' and Newcomb Spring Arts Festival, and participated in Newcomb College Institute Leadership Summit 2009, 'Power Lines: Women Transform The Grid'.
For outstanding Women's Studies academics, Community Organizing skills, and Holistic Healing practice, Ms. Sachs was selected in 2008 to serve as the V-Day "V to the Tenth" & Katrina Warriors Festival Coordinator, in conjunction with Newcomb College Center For Research on Women and other Women's/Gender Studies University-based programs, Scholars, Community Organizers, and Activists around New Orleans. In April of 2009, Jennifer received a grant through V-Day & the Katrina Warriors Network to continue her pioneering, academic & experiential-based scholarship and community programming for women throughout New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf South. Ms. Sachs has been instrumental in creating diversity and tolerance programming on campus for the duration of her time at Tulane in areas of LGBT Rights, Environmentalism, Women's Issues, and Peace-making including, assisting in program development of 'One Voice: Israel at Heart' outreach to Tulane students in 2004.
Jennifer has consistently, volunteered & instructed at Tulane-affiliated Jewish organizations such as the Hillel Center and Chabad House, has collaborated with Hadassah & the National Council of Jewish Women-New Orleans Section, and is credited for founding other Holistic Healing programming and instruction in New Orleans, including the Yoga Programmes at the New Orleans Jewish Community Center and Touro Hospital Alternative Therapies Center. In addition to Holistic Wellness, Ms. Sachs has mentored young women since her youth and has tutored and taught interdisciplinary, Holistic Education courses and lectures in Spanish, English, Hebrew, Arts, Athletics, and Women's Topics for over twenty years. Ms. Sachs has served as an activist and proponent for interdisciplinary, University education, including Tulane's TIDES course and has matriculated in courses from 25 departments and seven of ten schools within Tulane University. She has collaborated on an array of articles, papers, and resource guides, including The New Orleans Women's Health Resource Guide; is currently, writing a Holistic Wellness Cookbook; and recently, was asked to contribute to two Feminist blogs, 'NOLA Femmes: New Orleans Women Talk New Orleans' & 'Violet Femmes: A Collaboration For The Promotion of Women In Music,' which also, publishes cd's. Jennifer's many, Holistic Healing & Yoga students have included Tulane and Newcomb Professors, Faculty, Staff, Students and Community.
Jennifer is an active Newcomb College Alumna and Tulane Women's Association supporter and often, guest-lectures and instructs groups of women around New Orleans in Holistic Wellness, Holistic Healing Education & Yoga. Ms. Sachs' students have incorporated Holistic Healing & Yoga into Academics at Tulane University, within the New Orleans Public School system, as well as nearly, every profession, such as Medicine, Nursing, Mental Health, Public Health, Grief Counseling, Family Counseling, Social Work, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Business, Law, Politics, Art, Music, Religious Studies, Community Organizing, Childcare and other Holistic Healing fields. In fact, many of Ms. Sachs' students have won awards and other notoriety for exemplary, incorporation of Holistic practices into their work. Ms. Sachs currently, practices at the Uptown Holistic Center, consults and educates around town, and hopes to complete her Masters coursework by 2012. She also, aims to expand the development of Women's, Diversity, and Holistic Wellness interdisciplinary, programming, both academic & experiential, in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf Coast in coming years.
Ms. Sachs credits her can-do attitude to growing up as the youngest child in a large family with strong, female role models and the privelege of attending a girls' camp and women's college. Throughout her 20 years at Newcomb and Tulane, Jennifer has developed life-long mentorships, professional networks and friendships with students & staff from around the globe.
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