Maria Cortez, a biological science major, has been an absolutely outstanding student in the Biology 424 “Immunology” course. This upper-division class is notoriously difficult, but Maria has absolutely excelled. She has not only scored extremely high on all tests, but she displays an incredible curiosity about how our complicated immune systems work, and shows great tenacity in satisfying this curiosity by asking very thoughtful questions. Part of her interest in mastering the intricacies of human and cell biology is so that she can be the best physician possible.
Along her path to becoming a doctor, she has been working as an emergency medical technician (EMT) on weekends for the past year, often taking care of, and transporting, seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Prior to this, she has been a caregiver for elder adults and interned at a medical clinic. As a physician, Maria plans to serve medically underserved communities, and apply scientific knowledge and care to help people lead healthy lives. Brava Maria!
— Submitted by Catherine Brennan, associate professor of biological science