Senior Spotlight: Sarah, Celine and Amanda
As another school year comes to a close, we at UAEM would like to congratulate all those graduating. Whether it's your first or second or third time, we are excited for your next step in your trajectory. We especially want to celebrate some of the UAEM-ers who are graduating and moving on to bigger and better things! See below some of our featured members and some words of wisdom that they’d like to share.
Sara Faraj - Cognitive Science, B.S., Arabic and Islamic Studies Minor - UCLA
“College is such a unique time for making connections, trying new things, and learning. Don’t forget to have fun and try something new every once in a while. Before college, I had no interest in health policy or advocacy. Now, I lead others and show them just how much the industry has to offer. If I hadn’t taken a chance on UAEM, I would have missed out on so many opportunities to grow and learn. Keep pushing, even when you feel lost.”
Celine Huang - Cognitive Science Major, Minor in Communications - McGill University
“One of the most radical and vulnerable things any single person can do is to believe that a better future is possible. Now, more than ever, our advocacy must be rooted in hope, collaboration, and care for others. As students, we are often made to feel as if our emotions have no place in our work. I disagree; injustice should move us—sadden us, enrage us, and embolden us to make change. As long as we hold on to that energy, funnel it into intentional action, and invite others to share in it, our work can continue.”
Amanda Frederiksen Leloup - Honours Political Science, Minor in International Development Studies
“Be brave, be bold, be unapologetically kind, and fight for a better world. That’s the spirit of UAEM, and what I hope you carry with you wherever you go. When I first joined UAEM as a freshman, I was intimidated by terms like access to medicines, tech transfer, and university licensing practices: they felt huge and complicated, and impostor syndrome was very real. But what I quickly learned is that no one knows everything, and no one expects you to. UAEM’s power lies in its people: a community that constantly learns together, supports one another, and shares knowledge freely and generously. UAEMers all come from wildly different backgrounds, but we are united by the belief that access to medicines is a fundamental human right, and that young people have both the right and the responsibility to fight for change in a deeply unequal and rigged system. The access to medicines movement showed me that you don’t have to be an expert to make an impact, you just have to care, to listen, to keep learning, and to keep showing up. Being part of this global fight for health equity has shaped how I think, act, and imagine the future –that a better future is possible, and we young people are fighting with everything we have to ensure that. So if you're just getting started: trust yourself, lean on your community, and never underestimate the power of collective action.”
Sara, Celine and Amanda, thank you both and congratulations for all your work and effort in graduating. We are thoroughly excited to see what you all and all other graduating UAEM-ers will do next.
Whether you are just graduating or graduated many years ago, stay connected with UAEM and our mission to make the world’s medicines accessible to everyone. Follow us on our social media, stay up to date on our initiatives and connect with us! Alumni near and far help us get one step closer to our mission.
