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鈥業 don't sell myself short anymore.鈥�

Growing up in Gilroy in a first generation Latinx household prompted Valeria Rojas 鈥�22 to look at the world through a different lens. Watching her cousin go from doctor to doctor in an attempt to get diagnosed for her mental disability inspired Rojas to study the brain at 黑料网, where the neuroscience/public health double major and biology minor is aiming to pursue a medical career after graduation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that I've always known that I wanted to do,鈥� says Rojas. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been fascinated by the brain. It鈥檚 why neuroscience stood out to me.鈥�

Being exposed to numerous marginalized communities and identities from a young age, and noticing the lack of accessible resources and treatment options in medicine, also made her a strong advocate for individuals who might not share the privileges she鈥檚 had. Rojas has made it her goal to help close this gap, especially within the Latinx community.

Advocating for others has continued at Santa Clara as well, where she has pushed for inclusiveness in previously exclusive spaces, noting her work in the Rainbow Resource Center and the Office for Multicultural Learning, in particular. 

We recently sat down with the graduating senior to talk about highlights of her four years at 黑料网. 

Where does the need to speak up for others come from?

I have always felt the need to speak up and speak out鈥攊t鈥檚 always been in my nature. I feel like my Latinx identity, my identity as a woman, and being first generation propelled me into a life of advocacy, where celebration of our differences is the goal, not just tolerance. It鈥檚 detrimental whenever a community is overlooked or marginalized in any way, and I have the privilege to highlight and speak up for not only myself, but for others who might not have the opportunity to.

You鈥檙e a first generation student. How has the LEAD Scholar program helped you in your journey to graduation?

I couldn鈥檛 be more grateful for Erin Kimura-Walsh and all the LEAD staff who have helped me reach my life goal of pursuing a degree in STEM. My parents have always encouraged me and my siblings to pursue a higher education, and because my parents did not have the opportunity to go to a university despite wanting to, I see this achievement as one for all of us鈥攖hey鈥檝e been a very big motivator in my education. The LEAD program helped me feel affirmed and at home while on campus, and helped me push through feelings of adversity and imposter syndrome when I felt like I didn鈥檛 have any more fight left in me.

You ended up adding public health as a second major. How did that come about?
During my junior year, through one of the heights of the pandemic, something that was becoming abundantly clear to me was the widespread misinformation about COVID that polarized the very essence of public health and public safety. After being informed by my advisor that I had the opportunity to graduate early, I thought there could be no better way to study public health than through a public health crisis, so I added my second major. I鈥檓 glad I did, because I was able to learn so much more about marginalized communities in medicine through the combination of my majors. 

Which faculty members have stood out to you, and why?

I鈥檝e had really, really good people in my corner at Santa Clara. Michele Parker, assistant director in the public health department, and Christelle Sabatier, program director of the neuroscience department, are both forces to be reckoned with鈥攕o knowledgeable, yet also so down to earth. They鈥檙e the first professors on campus who made me feel like I don't have to sacrifice who I am or my personality in order to be taken seriously as a student, or as a professional. I feel like I really connected with both of them. Even though I鈥檓 not taking their classes anymore, I鈥檝e been able to maintain communication with them and talk to them about life after college and it鈥檚 very nice knowing that they are truly rooting for my and others鈥� success, which is always something to appreciate.

What does your future career look like?

While I can鈥檛 say for sure where life will take me, my current career path involves becoming a nurse practitioner who assists patients in both English and Spanish. Growing up having to translate for my family, most notably in medical offices, one of the first disparities in medicine that I noticed was the necessity for more bilingual professionals. By dedicating my career goals to becoming one of those professionals, I can directly assist my community in providing better access to healthcare, and higher autonomy of care. Learning medical Spanish is my next step to achieving this goal and I am actively seeking opportunities that can help me reach the finish line.

Advice you鈥檇 offer incoming students? 

Don鈥檛 let others tell you that you can鈥檛 do something before you tell yourself that you can鈥檛; and even if they do, it鈥檚 not the end of the world. Often, I underestimated and rejected myself before anyone could do that to me, which prevented me from a lot of opportunities that could have been potentially really beneficial for my growth.

In my four years, I鈥檝e come to realize that I might not be the most qualified, but if I鈥檓 a well-rounded person, I can bring something to the table. While having a million things on your resume could get a foot in the door, who you are as an individual and your character is equally as important. I feel like if you have a balance between things that you're passionate about and things that you鈥檙e dedicated to professionally, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 really important. I don鈥檛 sell myself short anymore.

I would also say that being friendly and talking with your professors can be a big assistance for navigating not only your major, but life at college and outside of it as well. And remember not to take everything so seriously; take things with a grain of salt. Give yourself grace.