UCLA grad

Coming from a small town in China, Diane Zhao never thought that she would eventually become a student at one of the most prestigious public universities in the United States. Upon beginning her studies at UCLA, Zhao had to learn English, a “seemingly impossible task,” in addition to facing the same challenges other students do in getting adjusted to the college experience.

“I entered UCLA with countless worries and hopes for the next four years ahead. Even as someone who moved around different continents growing up, a new school with numerous uncertainties was still intimidating. I didn’t know what friendships I’d experience, knowledge I’d gain, memories I’d make,” Zhao recalled. 

However, impressed by the campus and the university as an institution, Zhao was ready to clear such barriers, describing her initial perception of UCLA as being “new and exciting; the possibilities seemed endless,” and was thrilled at the prospect of being taught by “renowned professors and incredible research opportunities.”

Zhao’s choice of a career, specifically focusing on cancer research, was deeply personal. In her sophomore year, Zhao’s grandfather, whom she describes as “the closest thing I had to a father,” got diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer, in addition to “heartbreaking battles with the condition” other family members had experienced. She then began pursuing her interest by joining the Asian Pacific Health Corps (APHC), feeling that her experience in foreign languages and dealing with other cultures made her suitable for the organization. Zhao’s efforts and passion were quickly noticed by the APHC, and she soon became the only freshman in the organization to assume a position as a director, one she would keep for the next three years. Throughout her time on campus, Zhao would continue her participation in on-campus organizations, taking leadership roles in Collaboration in Undergraduate Enrichment and the International Circle of Genetics Studies. Zhao credits her time in these organizations as leading her “to become stronger and more determined in my efforts to achieve my goals.” Throughout her time at UCLA, Zhao additionally maintained a formidable academic record, earning a GPA of 3.944.

Despite her successes on campus, such efforts were not without difficulties. “During my freshman year, I got rejected from countless clubs and felt myself lose hope of accessing the resources that I craved but didn’t have in high school,” Zhao recalls, and additionally cites how annual family visits to China and Zimbabwe prevented her from taking important research opportunities. “Through all the rejections I received, there were definitely times when I felt like I did not belong here at the number one public university in the U.S.,” she said. 

Zhao’s academic and career progress were further threatened with the tragedy of a close friend’s suicide attempt in winter quarter of her senior year, requiring her to spend over a month caring for her friend in the hospital. However, this personal tragedy only further confirmed the importance of her work, not only in scientific research, but in caring for patients directly. “I prepared meals for her, contacted her professors, and visited her for hours everyday while completing all my club and work responsibilities. I did not have a cure for her mental illness, but I could provide her compassion and care to help heal the wounds on her heart,” adding that the experience gave her a “newfound confidence and strength within that helped me make important decisions and say the right words.” These monumental responsibilities were not to deter Zhou’s success; by the end of winter quarter, she had received a 4.0 GPA with a twenty-unit course load.

For newer Bruins, Zhao offers some key advice on succeeding as a student. “Wherever you are heading in the next four years, do not forget the True Bruin values of integrity, excellence, accountability, respect, and service. As a first generation immigrant, it took more than hard work for me to get to where I am today—it also took luck. I hope that every one of you, no matter what background you came from, can give back to underserved communities as much as possible, for not everyone had the luck that you had to get this far.  I experienced professional failure, personal loss, and more pain than I could bear at times. However, UCLA not only helped me mature as a person, but it also provided me with a group of peers and mentors who held up the sky for me when I needed support. You are worthy of being a Bruin. You are here because you deserve it, and no matter what challenges are ahead of you, do not forget who you are.” 

As a graduating senior, Arsal Zaheer recommends three things to incoming Bruins: carve out your own academic path, be selfish with your time, and enjoy the little moments!

Arsal made full use of the broad range of classes UCLA has to offer, allowing him to follow his own academic path.

He was able to attain a degree in economics, while still being to take classes on his other interests in the side. With a passion for public healthcare, Arsal completed the pre-med curriculum and took public health coursework on the side. 

Arsal encourages students to not shy away from taking classes that interest them, even if they are not a part of their given major. 

“Embrace your curiosities while you have access to this world class institution, it’s well worth it.”

Arsal helped plan the Los Angeles Global Health Conference in 2019, monitoring the registration process for attendees, along with developing pricing schemes that allow for the conference to have a specific revenue outcome. 

Being an extroverted individual, Arsal’s sense of adventure got him to experience the many things that UCLA has to offer. He joined numerous clubs before settling on a few that were most important to him.

“There is so much to get involved with, and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you spend your time in ways that do not stimulate or fulfill you in the best possible way.”

He was a part of the Fellowship for International Service and Health for all four years, while holding a chief administrative role for the final two. The nonprofit organization also known as FISH is focused on sustainable global health service in Mexico. Arsal helped coordinate trips, clinical practices, English learning opportunities, and established relationships with local leaders. 

Arsal also had many roles within UCLA’s Model United Nations program, another opportunity to travel the country and discuss policies and conflicts affecting the world. 

Outside of clubs and schoolwork, Arsal is very thankful for the opportunity that college has given him to grow and develop as a person.

Arsal credits some of his fondest memories at UCLA towards learning how to play the sitar. Through curiosity, he sat in on one of his friend’s sitar courses and found a new passion of his. Having no prior background in music, Arsal fell for the soothing melodies, along with the process of learning and mastering something new. 

Through perseverance, he ended up performing at annual Music of India concerts at the Schoenberg School of Arts at the end of each year. 

When reflecting on his time at UCLA, Arsal recommends to enjoy the little moments. He mentions great memories of living on the hill, visiting Cade 1919, and randomly seeing friends around campus.

“Seemingly mundane parts of your day will become significant once you graduate. Make sure to appreciate them while they last!”

At the age of eighteen, people become legally classified as adults and are given the opportunity to make independent decisions. Just like during freshman year, Nathan Mallipeddi recognized the freedom to choose his own classes. As a freshman, his motivation behind taking classes was to stay with friends, choose the best professors and create a good fit to his pre-med schedule. Although this seems like a simple issue, Mallipeddi learned over time that choosing classes essentially bridges the knowledge you get to keep as the foundation of your future. “Choosing classes may not seem to be that important, but you are essentially picking the knowledge that will be your war chest in future battles,” he said.

He believes that picking classes fundamentally revolves around learning as much as you can and developing lifetime friendships. “Do what you love. Learn what you love,” and as for building friendships, “college is too short to be brought down by the opinions of others,” he said. When it comes to ‘success,’ “even if you don’t reach your goals, you will reach something different, something new, something exciting,” he said.

Mallipeddi’s UCLA career was filled with many memorable life lessons, inspiring accomplishments and insightful professional development which shaped the person he is today. During his time in college, Mallipeddi managed to thrive academically while balancing his time conducting research, running a non-profit organization and managing other projects such as initiating the Virtual Chapter Program of the National Stuttering Association. These experiences shaped his ability to be a sharper thinker and a more collaborative teammate. “Four years ago, I joined an epigenetic research lab where my team and I made a groundbreaking discovery on the role of histones as enzymes,” he said. Along with his team, he was able to present his research in national conferences and published in Science.

As part of the Santos Research group, Mallipeddi investigated the differences in how various research and government entities classify disabilities. The goal was to unite the cross-cultural differences and find a uniform understanding of common disabilities. He proceeded to submit two articles for review in Journal of Disability Policy Studies and Political Psychology as first-author and second author respectively.

Mallipeddi was born with a speech disorder, an example of an invisible disability. With personal experiences living through this condition, he passionately used his voice to support others who are living through similar situations. This condition didn’t discourage and stop him from taking actions and getting involved as it became a foundation towards his passion in serving others. By breaking his silence about his communication impairment, he supports many communities that are undeservingly silenced and voiceless.

He acknowledged his most meaningful college experience as the creation of SoCal Stuttering Service, a non-profit organization made of 30 members with interests in speech therapy. “We’re targeting these students at their most vulnerable, when interpersonal relationships dictate a large portion of their life,” he said. Mallipeddi observed the boundaries and setbacks from accessing and financing professional support to seek developmental speech therapy. “Our goal is to provide the support necessary to ensure a speech disability doesn’t negatively impact their livelihood,” Mallipeddi said.

SoCal Stuttering Service provided remarkable support on their students’ communication skills. The students have proceeded to start scientific awareness movements, public service organizations and small businesses. By partnering with therapists, “we’ve raised $45,000 from service grants and corporate sponsorships. We are on track to hitting ~$100,000 by the end of year, to grow our workshops +50% to directly reach 3,000 students,” he said. The growth and positive feedback have pushed the team to expand internationally with a current focus in India.

UCLA helped Mallipeddi find a comfort zone and safe space in communities that helped him with his speech condition. This made a lasting impact which moved him to serve others. “UCLA provided me with the experiences and knowledge to grow from a shy, stuttering child to an accomplished researcher and entrepreneur,” he said.

Although Mallipeddi has made extensive efforts to support the communities with invisible disabilities, he believes that actions should be taken by a wider reach of policymakers. These invisible conditions are often disregarded,” he said. As part of the Santos Research Group at UCLA, “I worked on building a framework to analyze existing legislation and put forward potential solutions for the inclusion of invisible impairments,” he asserted. All in all, his passion, dedication and motivation to serve the community roots back to his mindset: “I do what I love, with who I love, and I treat others with love,” Mallipeddi says.

Evan Lovell was constantly reminded of the phrase “Champions Made Here,” as he spent many early mornings working the opening lifeguard shift at UCLA’s North Pool and the Spieker Aquatic Center where this slogan was proudly displayed. For Evan, the phrase rings true to his journey and accomplishments at UCLA on a personal level.

His Grandma once referred to him as “zesty and sharp.” For Evan, this was a perfect indication of his “friendly nature that stems from him wanting to make people feel welcome and comfortable around him.” It’s important to him for other people to know that he is as great at being thoughtful, supportive, and a listener as he is extroverted. 

Coming from a rural town, Evan’s exposure to the diverse student body was met with a desire to “learn from [the] wide range of beliefs and opinions” hosted on campus. Evan developed an open mindset to his coursework and his curiosity drove him to explore subjects he never would have encountered before, ranging from political communication and advanced game theory to journalistic censorship and American folklore. He not only approached his studies with sincere eagerness, but he also carried this enthusiasm into “relationships outside the classroom that greatly contributed to [his] individual growth and social refinement.”

“Whether it be advising passionate student government leaders, or consoling a freshman through his third break-up of the quarter, many of my jobs relied upon empathy and interpersonal skills,” said Evan.

Through his work as a resident assistant and a UCLA CUB tour guide, Evan cultivated his interpersonal skills and his ability to effectively problem solve. Evan’s experience with Cub Tours, “an organization that gives weekly campus tours to groups of children from low-income schools,” was so rewarding that he began “helping with the recruitment of future Cub Tour Guides and successfully brought in several new members.” However, as the President of UCLA’s Pre Law Fraternity and the director for the Mock Trial, Evan’s “patience and capacity for conflict management was constantly tested but considerably bolstered,” largely due to his role in “deescalating tense debates between fiery pre-law students.” 

The level “empathy” that Evan developed from his experiences on campus were carried forward into his workplace. During his internship at the Supreme Court and his employment at the Sacramento DA’s Office, Evan was further “inspired by the passion, empathy, and tact displayed by the attorneys.” At the Supreme Court, Evan “had the opportunity to attend the historical case regarding LGBT discrimination in the workforce” and was able to witness “the prioritization of human connection and support” that further drew him into the field of Law.

Based on his experiences and time at UCLA, Evan has come to believe that individuals are often most successful when they choose a position that utilizes their strengths and interests. This philosophy has provided him with the clarity of being sure that he’s on the right path to pursue his passion for helping others. Acts of passion and empathy not only appeal to him, but have inspired Evan to engage in it.

Although he is not certain what the future holds for him post law school, Evan will focus for now on attending Berkeley Law where he hopes to continue to champion his “dedication to service and passion for working to support others.” As the 2020 Recipient of the Chancellor’s Service Award, Evan’s vision seems natural and well within reach. 

At the end of his undergraduate degree, Evan exclaimed that “time flies when you’re having fun,” and it sure was an “untraditional ending to virtually the greatest of all time.”

While some students struggle to make it to their 8AM classes from their dorms, Annie Kokoyan undergoes a greater adventure as part of her UCLA morning routine. “I  was a commuter student during the day and a caretaker to my grandmother at night,” she explained. Although commuting became the wiser financial decision, this did not stop Kokoyan from putting her full effort in fulfilling both her academic and family duties.

Kokoyan took care of her grandmother by nurturing her physical and mental health which were damaged after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She utilized creative outlets such as poetry which became a shining light throughout her grandmother’s dark times. “I’d bring her some paper and pens, so we could write poems together. The poems would be in different languages, such as Armenian, Russian, and English,” she said.

Kokoyan learned the importance and satisfaction behind sacrifices as she watched her grandma’s health improve. “Even though this meant I couldn’t get to start my homework until midnight most nights, I didn’t mind, because I knew the sacrifices, I made for my family were worth it,” she said. She remains strong and as her mindset roots to her gratefulness in the opportunity of attending the best public university in the country. This motivated her to stay committed in managing and balancing her role as a student and the backbone of her family. “Through my experience with my grandma, I learned the true value of time, and I, like my grandma, choose to never waste it,” she said.

Growing up, UCLA had always been her dream school and she even remembers getting a UCLA blanket as a kid. Her pride remains strong as her four-year college experiences molded her character to resemble the values of a true Bruin: integrity, excellence, accountability, respect, and service. “I have become a driven and optimistic individual who works every day to be compassionate to others and open-minded to new ideas,” Kokoyan said.

Her warm-heartedness and passion in caring for others did not stop in her family but also flourished within other communities. Kokoyan dedicated her time as a co-director of Project Health Fair in the Medical Experience through Service in Healthcare (MESH). She led her team in educating and providing health resources such as performing hypertension and BMI screenings for underserved communities in the Los Angeles area. Kokoyan ensured that her committee members value the experience as an eye-opening experience about the low-income communities and their healthcare needs.

Her UCLA experiences have flourished the service mentality that her mother taught her since she was a child. These experiences become meaningful experiences for Kokoyan as a student pursuing a career in medicine. “I was able to develop the skills necessary to interact with patients of different cultures, socioeconomic statuses and I know this is very important in preparing me for my future health profession”, she said.  Hence, her good intentions in serving the community has strengthened her professional development and strong relationships with “close and strong relationships with like-minded individuals who had the same goals as me. And that is worth everything to me,” she added.

Kokoyan’s journey in deciding her major in psychology came with external doubts from relatives, friends and even strangers convincing her that she was taking an “easy” route to medical school. “I soon realized that it didn’t matter what anyone else thought because I am proud of being a Psychology major,” she said. Kokoyan had a strong principle and remained devoted to what her heart desired. This route gave her the opportunity to continuously grow and learn new skills to apply in her daily life and in her future medicine career.

In the long-term, Kokoyan aspires to become a plastic surgeon. Although plastic surgery is often perceived with a negative stigma, she responds with, “I hope to be part of dismantling that negative connotation by helping those in need of these procedures,” she explained. She is prepared to invest her time, effort and skills learned through her major in helping people in a psychologically healthy way through this occupation. “In Dr. Chorpita’s Psychology course, I learned that only 7% of psychology undergraduates pursue mental health in the future. I know that I do not want to be part of the 93% especially because I have a strong passion for mental health,” Kokoyan said.

During his time at UCLA, MIMG student Amitoj Singh found a love for community service and a desire to always take the extra step.

“UCLA has encouraged me to want more and never settle for less,” he said.  “Just coming here and developing a big work ethic helps me strive to be the best person I can be.”

Singh, a Sikh student from an immigrant family, moved from the Fresno to Los Angeles and like many freshmen, he initially struggled to find where he belonged at such a massive university.

“I had never lived on my own, and I come from a close family,” he said.  “Separating that connection was hard and I had to adjust to a fast-paced environment.”

Singh was initially struck by the diversity he found in Los Angeles, and said he had the opportunity to meet students from outside the small group he had in high school, who all came from a similar background.   By interacting with students from various backgrounds, he said he became more accepting and acknowledging of the role diversity plays on UCLA’s campus.

Singh said he feels much of his experience at UCLA has been shaped by his academic pursuits.  He switched his major from Chemistry to MIMG to cater more to his medical school aspirations. He said he developed strong skills in writing and critical thinking.  His classes challenged him to study beyond just memorizing facts, and he had to learn to solve problems logically.

During his four years at UCLA, Singh also dedicated much of his time to his community service activities.  He said he first realized the importance of community service growing up in Fresno, where many of his classmates were from middle to low-income families.  He said he feels lucky to be able to attend college, and he enjoys using his advantages to volunteer within his community.

“Being in my position, I feel like I have to (give back),” Singh said.  “It’s like a need I have to fulfill.  I feel like my life has revolved around it.”

Singh has worked with the Bhagat Puran Singh Health Initiative (BPSHI) for the past four years, where he helps check vitals of Sikh community members at local temples.  He personally started a program within the club to create pamphlets that provide important health, exercise, and dietary information.

He has also worked with Share-a-Meal at UCLA, where he helped deliver veggie burritos and other supplies to the homeless in Venice Beach.

“I’ve realized how unfortunate some people are, especially in our local communities, and how important it is to help others,” he said.

After graduation, Singh plans to take a gap year and volunteer at his former high school before attending medical school.  He plans to teach a research course over the summer for low to middle-income students, and he will tutor students throughout the year in math and science.

In his free time, Singh is an avid basketball fan and played intramural basketball almost every quarter at UCLA, in addition to regularly attending games at the Staples Center and Pauley Pavillion.

Singh emphasized UCLA helped him grow and learn to take advantage of every opportunity, and he encouraged UCLA students to do the same.

“The organizations I’m involved in have helped me feel more at home and develop strong relationships with other people,” he said.

Photographed by Ryan Glatt

Photographed by Ryan Glatt

Photographed by Ryan Glatt

Photographed by Ryan Glatt

Photographed by Ryan Glatt

Ernesto Javier Rojas helped with his aunt’s delivery of a baby boy.

Rojas, a fourth-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student, was working as an EMT at the time. Noting his interest in the medical field, his aunt had offered to let him stay in the delivery room and interact with her physicians. Rojas had already begun lab research at UCLA, and said the experience of witnessing birth sparked his fascination with reproductive health.

Rojas now works in two research labs, where he studies the role of stem cells in restoring fertility and where he focuses on the ethics of using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to genetically engineer embryos, respectively.

Until recently, the genetic engineering of embryos was something people only talked about. The technology was portrayed in films like “Gattaca,” where it created a social divide by enabling those who could afford it, Rojas said. Because CRISPR/Cas9 technology is so new and so cheap, Rojas said there are concerns about future implementation. His work now focuses on preventing impending dangers, especially in the state of California, where there are almost no regulations on what one can do with embryos.

“We found a company that will sell me a $200 kit to edit bacteria, and that’s a little dangerous because if I get the right bacterial strain, I can cause severe e.coli, poisoning and start messing with stuff like that,” Rojas said. “How is it that this technology can be used in this field that is basically the wild west of reproductive health? California is that area, so (there are) dangers of having that technology in the hands of an open free market with no regulations.”

Rojas frequently visits his high school in nearby Downey to talk about his research and inspire younger students to take the route he did. He recently looked at his graduating class profile and found an overwhelming percentage of his class were Hispanic or Latino and qualified for school lunch services based on need, himself included; yet many of his classmates did not meet the minimum requirements to attend a California State or a University of California school.

As an immigrant from Honduras and first generation college student, Rojas said it can often be difficult to carve a path for oneself, especially in STEM.

“The first thing I wanted to do was just get into college and go to UCLA and start doing that. It’s like, I’m always the first one to tread a path that hasn’t been tread before,” he said. “Kids like me, we get this impostor syndrome sometimes, where we’re like, ‘Is it just that I slipped in through the cracks?’ because I don’t see anyone like me in my family–in my community–who is doing something like this.’”

But UCLA put all students on an equal platform for success, Rojas said. Having excelled in a field of his interest and secured funding for his research, Rojas said he hopes to turn his attention toward helping the next generation of students like himself.

“I’m applying to some of the top schools in the world, and I got a great MCAT score,” Rojas said. “I’m not going to be getting into a medical school or a graduate school because I’m Hispanic or Latino–I’m going to be getting in because I earned it.”

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Kimberly Goodwin’s weekly routine at UCLA involved juggling her 3.975 GPA in Applied Mathematics Major and Statistics Minor, tutoring students online and in person, and working long weekend shifts at a job near home.

“I really didn’t have time to procrastinate, since I was so busy,” she said.

Throughout Goodwin’s four years at UCLA, she continued working weekends at a part-time job she started after her freshman year in her hometown, Chino. She’d spend the weekdays at UCLA, and transport home to Chino on the weekends for her job.

“It was kind of like jumping between two worlds,” she said. “I was gone every weekend when people would hang-out and spend time together.”

Goodwin spent her weekdays tutoring students, both online and in person. Her passion for teaching math started in seventh grade, when she knew she enjoyed solving math problems, but wasn’t interested in the idea of doing math for its sake. Her first opportunity to tutor came after she helped her substitute teacher solve a math question in eighth grade,

“After class, she asked if I could teach her daughter Geometry,” she said “As an eighth grader, I thought ‘I guess I could do that.’”

Her tutoring career continued at UCLA, where she worked for the Department of Mathematics  as a course reader, and later as a learning assistant for the Math 31A class.

Goodwin also taught online as a video creator for a tutoring company called GRITI during her freshman and sophomore years, following an opportunity which arose during a class.

“I applied and sent in a video of me explaining a random physics question and I was hired as a video expert,” she said.

She made complete video series for undergraduate math courses at UCLA, working remotely following class syllabi and homework problems for content.

“Originally, I was making videos for UCLA students. Then, these videos spread to other UC schools, and other Cal-state schools,” she said. “By my sophomore year, it ended up being distributed to other universities across the nation. I had a wide audience, so I felt like all the time I put into it, all the planning, wasn’t put to waste.”

Goodwin also volunteered for the Reading to Kids organization, spending the second Saturday of each month with local elementary school students.

Goodwin said she would eventually like to teach high school mathematics, since she said high school students are at a more impressionable age and are more open to positive influence.

“My goal is to instill confidence in students, especially when it comes to math, which may be a polarizing subject,” she said. “I want to make an impact on students at that age.”

Despite the additional time commitment of her weekend shifts and tutoring sessions, Goodwin managed to maintain a 3.975 GPA and graduated summa cum laude.

“From the beginning of each quarter, I’d try to start being on top of things, because I know it’s really hard to catch up in a quarter system when you fall behind,” she said.

Goodwin suggested students interested in STEM subjects approach their studies with a growth mindset.

“Growth mindset is believing that intellectual capabilities are malleable, and can wane if you don’t work on it, or grow and develop with practice,” she said, “Even if you hadn’t been good at math or science before, with conscious effort, lots of practice and careful guidance, you can really develop capacity to understand material deeply and thoroughly.”

Photographed by Kaylie Sagara

Photographed by Kaylie Sagara

Photographed by Kaylie Sagara

Photographed by Kaylie Sagara

Photographed by Kaylie Sagara

Photographed by Kaylie Sagara

Neil D’Silva’s advice to incoming Bruins? In the words of Bruce Lee: Be water, my friend.

D’Silva had to heed Lee’s call for resilience throughout his time at UCLA on his way toward graduating on the pre-med track with a degree in molecular, cell, and developmental biology.

“I will admit that sophomore and junior year, and even portions of my senior year, were filled with disappointments, rejections, and failures,” he said. “It would have been easier to leave the pre-med life and decide on something easier.”

His discovery of new pockets of campus that helped him grow and thrive led him to become a leader in the Community Service Commission of the undergraduate student government, UniCamp, and the Resilience Peer Network.

At CSC, he volunteered with several tutorial and healthcare projects, such as Kids Korner, Project Literacy, Pilipinos for Community Health, and Flying Samaritans at UCLA.

His time at UniCamp saw him working with older campers as an advisor, where one summer, a cancellation of a session meant he wouldn’t be able to work with the young people with which he was planning to host. However, he was touched when his teammates

And, as a fully certified Resilience Peer, he led support groups sessions for students with anxiety and depression to help them meet self-determined goals for recovery

The connection he forges with people on a deep, personal level really draws him to community service, D’Silva said.

He added his experience with the various organizations of which he has been a part ultimately played a part in securing his future plans, more so than many of his UCLA classes.

Though his ultimate goal is to become a doctor and practice medicine, D’Silva said he recognizes changes in health management are made not made at the doctor-patient level, but rather the population level, requiring more effort.

D’Silva’s service to communities in need continues with his travels to China with the Peace Corps, where he will teach English for two years before returning to the U.S. He said he plans to start preparing to apply for medical school when he returns, but that his time with the corps will be one of self reflection and for him to explore potential side projects.

Because of the Peace Corps’ training schedule, he missed most of his commencement festivities, but D’Silva said he is excited to start his journey.

“I feel like I don’t stress out about things until I’m in the situation,” he said. “I won’t feel all the  excitement until I land in China and I step foot outside of that plane.”

Photographed by Toshi Shimizu

Photographed by Toshi Shimizu

Photographed by Toshi Shimizu

Mercedes Cornelius originally wanted to be a lawyer when she grew up.

For a school career day, when everyone else dressed up as his or her favorite actor, she donned a long cloak in her attempt to be a judge.

However, the now biophysics and applied mathematics student has dedicated her last five years at UCLA to laboratory research and STEM education for youth

Born and raised in Florida, Cornelius moved at an early age to California to live with her uncle, a physicist. In Florida, most math classes only went up to pre-Algebra and Cornelius had her sights set on studying law in college; however, her uncle convinced her to give physics a try.

“When I first got my hands on a physics problem, I was like ‘Oh, I’ve got to be a physicist,” she said.

During the first few weeks of her freshman year at UCLA, Cornelius founded the National Society of Empowered Youth (NSEY), which aims to encourage underrepresented student groups to gain interest in the maths and sciences. Members used accessible modes of learning such as exploring the physics of music or the chemistry of cooking to inspire students.

“When I first got to UCLA I was like ‘Oh man, there are all these resources I can use, I’ve got to give back’ because I want some other kids to see how beautiful physics is too, maybe it’s for them,” she said. “Just the fact that they would be exposed to it is something different, because I wasn’t exposed to it at all, but I ended up loving it.”

Cornelius said this was her most memorable experience in her NSEY work happened while she was working with students from the Jackie Robinson Foundation. One student watched a series of videos, got all the concepts right, and  was so excited he could hardly speak, going up to his mother afterwards to proclaim his excitement.

The other primary aspect of her UCLA career lies in research – Cornelius currently works as an undergraduate researcher in a lab where she aids in growing a smaller version of a human organ on a chip – a micro system that will keep the organ running. She’s helped with creating several organs on chips in an effort to study cancer cells, which ties into her interest in oncology.

“It’s an area that I think has a lot of room for improvement, a lot of room for innovation,” she said. “Cancer in itself is just a very interesting thing – it gets me – just how complex it is…it doesn’t even have to be understood simply, but just to be understood, I like doing that.”

Eventually Cornelius aims to complete an M.D.–P.h.D., a dual doctoral degree which will allow her to do research, specifically in oncology, as well as see patients. However, before that, Cornelius will be traveling to China to do research at Peking University, as part of their pharmaceutical sciences program. She said she is excited to study traditional Chinese medicine, learn martial arts, and speak Mandarin, which she has been learning on her own.

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz

Photographed by Pablo Muñoz