Shelby H. Thurman

• What does being a First-Generation College Graduate mean to you?

This one if hefty. My mom was the first to go to college in our family, and she attended Cal Poly Pomona. But she was living on her own and paying her own way through college and eventually it became too much. She had no choice but to drop out and unfortunately never received her degree. It's emotional. There's a part of me that feels guilty my mom never got to experience this. But to me, having my degree means freedom. It means I can reach higher and attain the goals I have always had for myself. It means everything to me.

• What is your proudest moment from your time at UCSD?

I'm not sure I have a definitive moment that I am most proud of. But the thing I am most grateful for during my time at UCSD is having the opportunity to take a course from Professor Saiba Varma. I took her course GLBH 148 as part of my curriculum for my major, and it changed my world view in the best way possible. Learning about structural violence has given me tremendous amount of insight into the disparities that exist in the United States and across the globe. I took her course Conflict, Health, and Inequality the following quarter and learned even more about how systems we are ingrained to support and protect can be causing the most harm to our health.

• Who are the family members, friends or loved ones who have been most influential throughout your college journey? Are there any words of gratitude you would like to share with them?

This could get super long and I will do my best to shorten it. There are so many people who have been integral to my success as a college student. First and foremost, my mom. She has always encouraged me to keep going and give it my all, even when I was crying on the floor due to Ochem (this is why I changed my major). She instilled in me that education is something to cherish and be grateful for. And she's always supported my passion for a good argument, though I'm sure she wished I'd be quiet sometimes. I would not be here without my mom. Secondly, my boss/mentor Sharief Taraman. I'm at a loss for words at the amount of gratitude I have for him, but he has always been a voice of reason in my life, especially in regard to school. He once said to me as I was brushing off an assignment, "Focus on school. Your education can never be taken away from you". He's been a calm and steady support in my life and I will appreciate him forever. Lastly, my best friend Natalia Sifuentes. She is one of the most steadfast, caring, strongest people I know and she's always inspired me to do better. Her dedication to school and her goal-oriented thought process has been a blessing to have in a best friend. We spent many a night studying together until 1 am, even while at different schools. Her friendship kept me going even during really hard times. I am eternally grateful for her. To all my aunts, and uncles, and cousins who have supported me and talked with me and have been an ear for me to vent to and a shoulder to lean on- I could not have done this without you, and your support has never gone unnoticed. I love you all.

• Who are the staff, faculty or mentors who have been most influential throughout your college journey? Are there any words of gratitude you would like to share with them?

As I mentioned in my "proudest moment" box, Professor Saiba Varma has been extremely influential in altering my world view for the best. She inspired part of my thesis and I am grateful I was able to take two courses from her. Professor Bonnie Kaiser is the true rock star of these last two quarters. She is the teacher for my Global Health capstone project and even before the pandemic hit, she always supported us as people, not just students. I think often professors forget that students are not a collective group of people with the same issues. We are all experiencing life and trying to do school at the same time, and sometimes they clash. Professor Kaiser has done an incredible job in guiding us through our thesis and supporting us during these difficult times. I am forever grateful for her dedication.

• What do you plan or hope to do after graduating?

I am going to continue working with Cognoa, a med tech startup in Palo Alto that is working on closing the diagnostic and therapeutic disparities in autism through digital health. I do plan to go back to get my Master's at UC San Francisco (hopefully) and continue my journey into the broad world of Global Health. Overall, my goal is to be part of the movements necessary in order to combat structural violence head on. And before I can go abroad to do that, I have to support the fight right here in the US. I never want to stop learning.