Standing at the end of their undergraduate journey, the class of 2024 eagerly awaits new beginnings. We congratulate our seniors for their hard work within the Honors Program and the university as a whole! Our graduating seniors will be heading to:
- Voice of Prophecy in Loveland, Colorado
- Loma Linda University School of Medicine
- Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
- Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s Hyundai Cancer Institute
- University of Southern California School of Dentistry
Others plan to take gap years before professional school. During these gap years, one senior aims to work in industry with a chemistry emphasis before applying to Ph.D. programs for chemistry, another as a medical assistant before PA school and the other looking toward law school.
As these seniors reflect on their journeys, they offer advice and share their highlights from their time in the Honors Program.
Yung Chia (Fiona) Lin, future producer and supervising editor
Advice: Study hard, remember to rest, and ask for help when you need it!
Highlight: The Malaysia and Singapore trip was very fun! I got to know the 2023 cohort better and try so many things, and make many memories.
Honorgram Pieces: Malaysia and Singapore: Journaled on Film
Deanna Shanelle “Asia” Estebar, future chemistry Ph.D.
Advice: Remain moldable and open to new experiences as life is unpredictable.
Highlight: Traveling out of the country for the first time to Malaysia and Singapore and experiencing their valuable history and culture.
Honorgram Pieces: South Hall Reopening: Featuring South Hall RAs, Freshman Corner: For Them, Past and Present
Miriam Weybright, future lawyer
Advice: As important as taking school and your grades seriously is, don’t forget to prioritize you and your mental health and well-being. Spend time making connections and getting involved in the school, and don’t beat yourself up if you can’t give each day 100%! 🙂
Highlight: I’m sure it would be turning in my honors scholarship, but I would also say getting to take some amazing classes with professors who truly challenge you to grow as a person. I truly do not think I would have grown and learned so much about myself and what I believe if not for the professors who taught these classes!
Brian Nguyen, future physician
Advice: Don’t be afraid to push outside your comfort zone. Take on as many opportunities as you can possibly handle. You are far more capable than what you might expect. This is truly a time of personal growth, and you have the power to decide what steps you take towards the person you want to be.
Highlight: The sense of community that is cultivated by the Honors Program is one of my favorite aspects of the program, especially since the reopening of South Hall. Every person I have met through Honors and have gotten the opportunity to get to know has been a highlight for me, and I’m truly glad that we were able to meet.
Honorgram Pieces: South Hall Reopening: Featuring South Hall RAs, SEA-GENES: Discovering Bacteriophage Genes, Friends, and the Vital Toolkit to Life
Natalia Ruiz, future dentist
Advice: College is full of opportunities to perform well academically, but most importantly, it helps one learn where their heart lies. Learn about new perspectives, and become a well-rounded person. Remember how God has led you in the past and trust Him with your future.
Highlight: The Malaysia trip was the best experience. I had only traveled around Latin America and the U.S. before this trip. I learned more about the cultures present in Southeast Asia and enjoyed trying new dishes! I hope to visit again soon.
Honorgram Pieces: Melaka and Kuala Lumpur: From a Photographer’s Lens, Kuching and Penang: From a Photographer’s Lens, Faculty Spotlight: Professor Delia Orosco
Bridget Lee, future physician’s assistant
Advice: Time management will be your best friend!!! (s/o Google Calendar)
Highlight: Getting closer with my cohort and moving from zoom to in-person classes 🙂
Honorgram Pieces: Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Kendall’s Journey with Music, La Sierra’s Honors Program and Publication, Freshman Corner: Obstacles, Growth, and Newfound Capabilities
Amber Huynh, future cancer researcher
Advice: “I still don’t know what it really means to grow up. However, if I happen to meet you, one day in the future, by then, I want to become someone you can be proud to know.” – Makoto Shinkai
Highlight: Going around Malaysia with friends. Meeting new people. Exploring.
Honorgram Pieces: The Famous Malaysia/Singapore Trip: Post-Pandemic Edition
Jui-Hung (Hadassah) Lin, future dentist
Advice: If you believe, you will receive!
Highlight: The Honors trip to Malaysia and Singapore.
Honorgram Pieces: Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Jeannie Shinozuka
Congratulations to our seniors! We are so proud!