The Quest Continues

For many Questies, life is filled with twists and turns. In our final episode of the season, Joey Barnett, Princeton '12, shares how his unique career path has taken him all over the world and spanned a wide variety of fields, from Bollywood dance to philanthropy. Despite this road less traveled, Joey has made a point of keeping in close contact with his family and hometown community. In conversation with host Saxon Bryant, Joey speaks about finding his way through various career pivots, all while staying connected to his roots.

Whether you feel like you don’t belong or that your achievements might be an accident, imposter syndrome is a common challenge for QuestBridge Scholars and Alumni. Esteban Rojas, Notre Dame '15, has faced imposter syndrome head-on at various points along his academic and professional journey. In a reflective conversation with host Jahmeelay Jean-Leger, Esteban shares how he’s found healthy ways to confront these recurring feelings of self-doubt.

For many Questies like Nick Dreher, Princeton '17, balancing family obligations and career aspirations is a challenge. Nick grew up with a large family in Northern California and is now a resident physician at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Over the years, Nick has supported his family in a variety of ways, from sending money home to offering guidance when needed. In today's episode, he reflects on how his relationships with his family and his partner play an important role in his personal and professional decisions. 

From starting a graduate program to accepting a job opportunity, new professional experiences can lead to significant life changes. Lauren Beard, Penn '17, pursued an academic interest in mental health by beginning a Ph.D. program at UChicago. While the subject matter resonated deeply, Lauren struggled early on to acclimate to her new surroundings. Support from an advisor made all the difference. In this episode, learn how Lauren recentered her focus on wellness and found meaningful communities in her new environment.

As members of the QuestBridge community work toward achieving their professional goals, navigating traditionally privileged spaces often becomes the new norm. Danielle Newton, Princeton '20, is a full-time medical student at UCLA. While Danielle is enjoying her path to becoming a doctor, she is acutely aware of the privilege that exists in medical schools. In this episode, learn more about Danielle's experience as a first-generation, low-income medical student and hear how she has discovered the unique value that her background and experiences bring to this field.

For some Questies, a desire to give back to their community can impact their life path and career trajectory. Saúl Ulloa, Vassar '15, is no stranger to this experience. Saúl witnessed first-hand the struggles of immigrants and migrants in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Deeply affected by this upbringing, Saúl found a professional calling in humanitarian policy and has since spent years working both domestically and abroad to address a variety of complex crises. In this episode, you'll learn how networking helped Saúl forge his career path and how he has found a healthy work life balance when striving for something so personal. 

As we enter different stages of our lives, we may face challenges that impact our mental health and well-being. It can be difficult to balance it all, especially as new opportunities and responsibilities arise. For Helen Yiu, USC ‘15, prioritizing mental health is a daily practice. Helen works as a physical therapist and is living in Allentown, Pennsylvania, while her fiancé completes his medical residency. From navigating her own professional journey to adapting to new areas in support of her partner, Helen has found that putting her well-being first allows her to embrace life’s many changes.

After developing interests and experience in the fields of global health and human rights, 2016 Yale University graduate Ellie Dupler went on to earn a J.D. at Columbia Law School and now works as a Law Clerk at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 

Hawa Ahmed, University of Virginia '15, shares that her liberal arts education helped her to push past seeing the world only in black and white. Hawa now says that she sees the shades of gray — the nuances and complexities that allow her to appreciate the fuller picture of the world around her. After studying Foreign Affairs and American Presidents at UVA, Hawa has gone on to work in the field of data at corporations, for a presidential campaign, and now as a Technical Business Intelligence Manager at Chief, a private network for female executives.

Sean Chapman’s motivation to create a more sustainable future has taken him overseas and brought lessons he never would have learned had he stayed in his hometown. A 2017 graduate of Tufts University, Sean works as an R&D Scientist at Enapter in Italy and is concurrently pursuing his Master’s in Engineering Physics and Applied Physics at The University of Freiburg in Germany. Sean firmly believes in taking risks to propel forward and encourages other first-generation, low-income students to do the same.