Marissa Jauregui

Mexico holds a special place in Marissa Jauregui’s heart.

Jauregui has taught English to students in Yucatan as a Fulbright scholar, and she grew up traveling to visit her grandparents.

Now she is keeping her roots in mind as a first-year student in the Community Oriented Public Health Practice program at the University of Washington, Seattle. She already is focusing on mental health, reproductive health, health disparities, and health policy.

She has strong leadership qualities and desires to conduct research and advocate for mental health services outside of the clinic.

To further her experience and education, Jauregui applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program.

The Éxito! program, led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio with support from the National Cancer Institute, recruits 25 master’s-level students and professionals each year for a five-day summer institute, optional internships, and ongoing networking and support to promote doctoral degrees and careers in Latino cancer. A recent study found significant increases in summer institute participants’ confidence to apply to a doctoral program and academic self-efficacy.

“I think the [Éxito! Summer] Institute provided me the opportunity to learn about authentic mentorship,” Jauregui said. “I think I did not know what to expect from mentors and did not realize people actually wanted to mentor students because in my experience people act like being mentors is actually a chore.”

For those considering applying for Éxito! next year, Jauregui has this advice:

“I hope you appreciate how inspired you may feel in just a few days. The experience, no exaggeration intended, is life-changing.”

@saludtoday