Throughout her time on campus, Zhao would continue her participation in on-campus organizations, taking leadership roles in Collaboration in Undergraduate Enrichment and the International Circle of Genetics Studies. Zhao’s efforts and passion were quickly noticed by the APHC, and she soon became the only freshman in the organization to assume a position as a director, one she would keep for the next three years. She then began pursuing her interest by joining the Asian Pacific Health Corps (APHC), feeling that her experience in foreign languages and dealing with other cultures made her suitable for the organization. In her sophomore year, Zhao’s grandfather, whom she describes as “the closest thing I had to a father,” got diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer, in addition to “heartbreaking battles with the condition” other family members had experienced. Zhao’s choice of a career, specifically focusing on cancer research, was deeply personal. However, impressed by the campus and the university as an institution, Zhao was ready to clear such barriers, describing her initial perception of UCLA as being “new and exciting the possibilities seemed endless,” and was thrilled at the prospect of being taught by “renowned professors and incredible research opportunities.” I didn’t know what friendships I’d experience, knowledge I’d gain, memories I’d make,” Zhao recalled. Even as someone who moved around different continents growing up, a new school with numerous uncertainties was still intimidating. “I entered UCLA with countless worries and hopes for the next four years ahead. Upon beginning her studies at UCLA, Zhao had to learn English, a “seemingly impossible task,” in addition to facing the same challenges other students do in getting adjusted to the college experience. Coming from a small town in China, Diane Zhao never thought that she would eventually become a student at one of the most prestigious public universities in the United States.

Only by Diane Zhou