Striving to serve

Sumeya Aweys became interested in healthcare when, as a 12-year-old, she would translate doctors’ instructions for her parents, refugees from Somalia who spoke no English.

She remembers asking, “What does that mean?”

“I had to explain medical procedures and diagnoses to my parents to the best of my ability even though I didn’t understand them myself,” Sumeya said.

She made it her goal to understand and study medical terms and conditions. At Crawford High School, she enrolled in Honors Project Lead the Way Biomedical classes. She went on to join extracurricular STEM programs, including Faces of the Future and STEM Squared. She completed internships at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Mental Health of San Diego County.

“In the future,” Sumeya said, “I strive to become a healthcare worker with a deep understanding of individuals from diverse backgrounds so that I can serve immigrant families like mine.”