Future doctor plans to help hometown community

Stephanie Cardenas, Biology major, Class of 2019

“I am from a low-income immigrant family, and I never thought I would be fortunate enough to receive a college education,” said junior Stephanie Cardenas. The biology student plans to attend medical school after graduation and provide care to the overlooked community she grew up in. Stephanie will use her education to support Latino populations that struggle to access medical care due to language and cultural barriers.

She is a tutor and mentor for ACE (Achieving College Excellence), a program that works with first-generation and low-income students, as well as students with disabilities, at Loyola. “Every day, I strive to take this opportunity and work to achieve greatness. I can relate to the difficulties these students face, and I want to use my talents to help them succeed at Loyola.”