“PULSE has inspired me to view what I’m doing on a daily basis being less about self-betterment and more about serving our house, PULSE, and the neighborhood community. ” – David Hogan
David Hogan grew up Bethesda, Maryland, and attended Middlebury College where he earned a degree in History, with minors in Political Science and French. David has devoted much of his time to school and recreational athletics. He was a member of the Middlebury College NESCAC Varsity Swim and Dive team as well as head coach of Little Falls Swim Team in Bethesda, Maryland. David has served as trip leader for MiddView Outdoor Orientation and Habitat for Humanity in addition to working as a research assistant for the U.S. Army Center of Military History. In his free time, In his free time, David enjoys watching and playing sports, hiking, and reading. He is a part of the East End cohort, and is serving with the Bloomfield Development Corporation.
Emily Vogt: What has been the most valuable part of the PULSE experience so far?
David Hogan: I think having an immediate network of friends through PULSE has been the most valuable part. It has been easier to establish relationships with other community-minded people and to adapt socially to a new city where there so few people from my college.
Emily: How has PULSE inspired you to live/think/act differently?
David: PULSE has inspired me to view what I’m doing on a daily basis being less about self-betterment and more about serving our house, PULSE, and the neighborhood community. This change from an academically structured lifestyle to a service-focused lifestyle can be difficult at times, but I think it will be worth the effort.
Emily: What do you enjoy most about your nonprofit partnership?
David: I enjoy the company of my co-workers and my supervisor. Even though we often work on independent projects, we feed off each others’ energy to produce more than we would alone. It’s also fun to get together for a staff lunch every now and then to talk about things other than our day-to-day work.
Emily: What have you enjoyed most about living in community?
David: Eating dinner with my housemates at the end of a long day can be really nice. There have been times when I have come home tired and fatigued and my spirits have been lifted by the ringing laughter at the dinner table.
Emily: What surprised you most about Pittsburgh?
David: The old, rich architecture. Pittsburgh is full of cool, old buildings from 19th century mansions like Stanton House, to old empty warehouses, to picturesque brick townhouses and businesses.
Story by PULSE Participant Emily Vogt.
Read more Participant Stories from Fellows about their experience in PULSE. If you would like to learn more about the PULSE program, please visit our Serve with Us page.
Also, check out other Stories of Transformation: