When Tim Ernest isn’t hitting the books at the University of South Florida, you can usually find him volunteering in the surgical waiting area at Moffitt Cancer Center. Ernest has logged more than 220 service hours in less than one year.

Ernest began volunteering at Moffitt in May 2018 after watching his aunt battle cancer. He says he hopes to provide to others the same compassion and comfort he and his family felt at Moffitt.

Though he is a pre-med student, Ernest says volunteering at Moffitt piqued his interest in oncology. He plans on pursuing a career either in oncology or pediatrics and wants to be involved in research.

This month Moffitt celebrated its volunteers at its annual appreciation event, where Ernest received the cancer center’s Student Volunteer of the Year award. He says it’s an honor to be selected, but he doesn’t donate his time for the recognition. Instead, he finds it gratifying to help others on a regular basis and plans on continuing to serve at Moffitt for as long as possible.

Learn more about Moffitt’s Volunteer Services and see how you can get involved here.

Read More: Moffitt Celebrates Its Volunteers