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Leila Vaez-Azizi
Why scholarship support is valuable
The generosity of scholarship donors has presented me with opportunities and possibilities that I would not otherwise have. If not for scholarships, I would never have set foot on the campus of the University of Chicago. I also would never have been able to attend a conservatory of music for piano in my pre-college years and would have never been able to participate on the Thai-Burma Border Delegation, which took place last summer in Thailand and examined the human rights situation in Burma. In short, my world would be a much smaller place, and my education would be far less, if it were not for the assistance of grants and scholarships. The knowledge that my whole person and experience has been shaped by such generosity has motivated me to use my time wisely here at the University of Chicago to define and fully realize my goals.
Why I chose Chicago
I found the austere yet dynamic intensity of the school appealing when I visited and was attracted by its reputation of being an academically rigorous institution. As someone who regards all academic fields as important and valuable, I was naturally appreciative of the University’s liberal approach to education and its core educational requirements.
Plans for the future
For the immediate future, I plan on receiving a degree in biology by 2006, with a specialization in neuroscience. I have aspirations to attend medical school, and my goal in doing so is to acquire a skill which would be liberating to those who are in need of medical attention but have limited access. This may involve practicing locally or internationally; I would like to either open a clinic or practice in a global locality where there is need.
Another long-term goal is to receive training and certification in Traditional Chinese Medicine; I would like to learn several healing methodologies drawn from multiple bodies of knowledge and to integrate these practices to form a well-rounded paradigm of health. I am interested in cross-cultural notions of the "body" and models of health and am particularly interested in the way cultural and spiritual beliefs are infused within these practices.
About myself
I was born in Los Angeles to an Iranian father and a Mexican mother who immigrated to this country seeking a better life and education. My mother truly understood the dangers of being a female without an education, and as a result, she put a great emphasis on ensuring that I received a good education. It was she who guided my progress from a special education school for the deaf and hard of hearing to one of the better magnet schools in my area and finally to the University of Chicago. As I am partly the sum of those who came before me, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my mother, for her selfless effort and honesty.
