A Difference Made

Corey Lager, from Kalamazoo, Michigan, is a third-year medical student who serves as a volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County. He has been matched with 12-year-old Terik Barnes from Ann Arbor for the last year-and-a-half.

“Terik and I have a lot of common interests. He’s amazing at soccer. I go to watch his games, and he plays in pick-up soccer games with me and my friends. He sees that college and medical school are not just studying, but also fun.

“We’ve painted the Rock on Hill Street, hung out at Terik’s house with his friends and incredible grandma, floated down the Huron on inner tubes, gone to Michigan games, Pistons games, museums, bike rides, sledding …

“How do I find the time? Everybody needs a break from studying, and I can’t imagine a better break. I have a great time with Terik, and hopefully I make a difference in his life; I know he’s made a difference in mine.

“Service is an integral part of being a physician, and this is a way I can give back for all that others have done for me.

“Plus I get to play putt-putt golf.”

—Corey Lager

For information visit Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Interview by Whitley Hill | Photo by J. Adrian Wylie