Junior middle blocker Mia Berg is the reigning MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American. This summer, Berg discovered a new perspective during a medical internship in Guatemala.
As someone with dietary and healthcare needs, Berg saw firsthand the difference in resources available to people on the trip.
“It was definitely an eye-opening experience of how lucky the healthcare that we have here is,” Berg said. “I’m a diabetic and they didn’t even have insulin there for people that were diabetic. So, it was just very eye-opening and a reminder to be grateful for what we have here.”
Also a Pre-Med and MIAA Scholar Athlete, Berg learned about the two-week medical outreach trip in Guatemala through a classmate.
Berg was one of 24 students who traveled to San Pedro in June as part of a trip organized by UNK’s chapter of VAW Global Health Alliances. The trip included some cultural immersion days and also had six days where the group set up free clinics in rural areas.
In preparation for the trip, Berg had conversations with UNK volleyball coach Rick Squiers and the training staff to make sure she was well-prepared in case she needed anything.
Berg said their host families would make them breakfast around 6 a.m. before getting on a bus to take them to the clinic’s location for the day. Once set up, the clinic saw patients for seven to nine hours a day.
Berg’s roommate on the trip and UNK golfer, Claire Berquist, said the kids were happy to see them.
“The kids were very interactive with us when we first got there,” Berquist said. “We almost were like celebrities to them. They were so excited to see us, and this one kid came up to us and was giving us all these hugs.”
The group saw over 840 patients, ranging from malnutrition, common cold, flu, scabies, bed bugs and antibiotic resistance problems. Medical issues, Berg said, she doesn’t really think about in America.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Berg was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 7 years old. While diabetes has made life a little harder from time to time, Berg learned how to manage it better, all while putting in the work on the volleyball court.
As Berg started getting recruited to play volleyball in college, an unfamiliar school popped up on the list. Berg’s mother, who played volleyball and basketball at Rockhurst, remembered the name UNK and through that conversation, Berg started talking with the Loper staff.
Squiers said he still remembers the day that Berg came to visit.
“We had two people in that day and she (Berg) looked very solid, certainly thought she’d be a good player at the time,” Squiers said. “She didn’t necessarily look like she’d be an All-American. We just kind of thought she was a steady contributor, kind of versatile.”
Berg committed to UNK and hit the ground running to become the steady contributor she is now. After a breakout sophomore season, Berg joined a long list of UNK All-Americans with 321 kills and 120 blocks, despite any team’s attempts to negate her in a match.
“Even when they scout her, she’ll show up that game and still end up getting a lot of kills just in all the skill sets that she has,” said Abby Rose, a senior middle blocker.
With the fall season underway after earning four wins in Vermont, Berg, as a returning All-American, is going to face a new challenge on the court with more teams expected to dissect her game.
“There’s a lot of pressure on her (Berg) to get a kill,” Rose said. “There’s a lot of pressure on her to make a play. (Berg is) staying calm and being able to stay composed in those situations and then coming through for our team.
Regardless, Berg aims to continue to put up good numbers and to help her teammates out, this time with added confidence and empathy.