#ThrowbackThursday With Our Alumni and Previous Mentor Holly!

Holly is a driven individual who studied public health at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). She graduated within two years with a Bachelors in Public Health as well as finishing pre-law courses. Holly chose public health because she wanted to help people. She wanted to be able to see the big picture and work on things such as making healthcare more accessible to everyone.

During her senior year of high school, the pandemic hit, which made applying to college and taking AP and college courses much more challenging. Despite these obstacles, Holly was determined to succeed and was accepted into UCI's public health program. She graduated from Cerritos High School and took many extra courses. This allowed her to graduate early and get on her post-undergraduate plans.

She was able to achieve her higher education goals with the help of the 4S Education Program, which provided her with the support she needed to finish everything by the summer before her senior year of college. This allowed her to have a stress-free senior year and focus on other things like tutoring and spending time with family.

UCI was the right fit for Holly especially during quarantine. Although she originally wanted to live closer to the beach, she chose to commute after the pandemic hit to avoid feeling isolated. Holly found the campus beautiful (when the campus was open), and the people were super fun, making it an overall great experience.

Holly was involved in various hobbies and extracurriculars, including tutoring, visiting family, nature, serving at high school and Sunday school. She also was a mentor for 4s and she conducted research at UCI for Complement Protein C3 Expression in the Developing Auditory Brainstem.

After graduating from UCI, she is now on her way to studying law at Chapman Law, where she plans to use her interest in public health to impact as many people as possible, both nationally and internationally. She hopes to make healthcare more accessible to everyone and make a positive impact on society.

For students applying to college, Holly recommends being proactive and finishing things early. Taking advantage of the summer break can also help students avoid feeling overwhelmed during the school year.. She also recommends using a block schedule to make the most out of your day. For example, she would finish studying by 5 pm, allowing for more free time and time with family. She also establishes work life balance by dedicating herself to finishing as much work as she can during blocked work hours. Then she is able to fully enjoy her breaks. She doesn’t work or study on Sunday because she makes time for what she enjoys, like serving at church.

On tips for choosing a good major, she emphasizes the importance of not going into a field someone is forcing you to and figuring out your purpose in life. Holly was originally aiming to go to med school but with the help of her career counselor, she realized that becoming a doctor wasn’t what she wanted. She found that her original choice to go into pre-med was influenced by her cultural stereotypes instead of her own interests. With the help of her career counselor she was able to confirm her interest in law. Because of her experience, she encourages students to check out career counselors. It’s hard to figure out what you want to do right away so be open to trying new things.

Overall, Holly's academic journey showcases the importance of following your interests, trying out different fields, and maintaining a work-life balance. With her determination and passion for making a positive impact on society, Holly is sure to make a significant impact in the healthcare industry.