Upward Bound Student Aims for Pharmacy Degree

Upward Bound Student Aims for Pharmacy Degree

Awarded $20,000 Dell Foundation Scholarship

Buffalo, New York – April 20, 2017 – An Upward Bound student who is planning to attend D’Youville’s Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) in the fall has been awarded a $20,000 scholarship from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

Mebrhit Meheretab, 19, a senior at the International Preparatory High School, has been in the D'Youville College's Upward Bound program since March 2016.

A native of Eritrea, a country in Africa bordering the Red Sea, she arrived in the U.S. from Ethiopia in 2016 and did not speak English. She successfully completed all five parts of her regent exam in June, according to Natalia Martinez, Upward Bound Program Coordinator at D’Youville.

“My goal is to study pharmacy and become a successful innovator and to play a key role in helping patients feel better and get well as quickly as possible,” Mebrhit said.

“I want the opportunity to give back to the community, use my education to make sure patients are taking their medicine properly and ensuring the patient’s best interests are represented. I believe by becoming a pharmacist I would be able to help my father and patients like him take their medications properly and reduce the side effects.”

She selected D’Youville's School of Pharmacy “to attend an accredited school for my major at an affordable price.” She likes the small classes and understands it is very easy to get extra help from the professors.

“I am interested in the variety of community service opportunities and research opportunities at the College. I am familiar with the campus because of Upward Bound.”

“From the moment we met Mebrhit we knew she would be successful,” said Natalia Martinez, Upward Bound Program Coordinator. “We couldn’t communicate very well but she let us know that she wanted to be in Upward Bound, to do well on her exams, and go to college.”

“She showed us that she was driven and independent by her work ethic. She stayed after school as many days as we could provide her a tutor and she excelled immediately. We are so proud and excited that she has chosen to join the D’Youville family.”

One of five children, Mebrhit lives with her father near the D’Youville campus. “It’s nice the campus is close so I can go to class and then back home to care of my father.”

Based in Austin, Texas, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation funds programs that foster high-quality public education and childhood health and that help improve the economic stability of families living in poverty.

To date, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has committed more than $1 billion to assist nonprofit organizations working in major urban communities in the U.S., India, and South Africa.

The education scholarships are awarded to 400 individuals globally.

Contact

Natalia Martinez, Upward Bound Program Coordinator

Phone: 716-829-8235

Email: martinen@dyc.edu