The Quest Continues

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Deja Knight has met every challenge with fierce determination, leading to an inspiring career in public health. After starting a graduate program in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa, Deja ended up pivoting to complete a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University. She is now pursuing her third graduate degree: a Ph.D. in International Health at Johns Hopkins University. Influenced by her personal experiences and academic interests, Deja focuses on HIV prevention among Black women and strives to revamp systems to best support those in greatest need. 

Content Warning: Sexual violence

For Sergio Lopez, a 2017 graduate of Yale University, thinking critically about his background inspired a future path. Sergio grew up without many financial resources, but through these challenges, discovered the power of public policy. He learned that he could make his voice heard and play a role in bringing about positive change. Many years later, Sergio now serves as a Councilmember on the City Council of his hometown of Campbell, CA. 

While it can be difficult to get your foot in the door in the creative industry, it can be even more of a challenge if you come from a low-income background. Often the best connections are forged during unpaid or low paying internships. However, even with this knowledge, Wei Wei Chen, Emory '18, took risks and found ways to intern in creative departments at companies like Cartoon Network and Coca-Cola. Years later, Wei Wei now serves as a Writer/Producer at Warner Bros. Discovery and is grateful that pursuing something she loves has not just brought fulfillment, but now, stability.

Raised in Ethiopia for part of her childhood, Selam Bekele was conscious of healthcare disparities and wanted to improve access to and quality of care. Selam graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 and has since founded a nonprofit in Senegal, worked as a biotech Project Manager, and obtained a Master’s in Public Health at Penn. Always connected to her goals of social impact, Selam has navigated the highs and lows of her career, and ultimately learned important lessons about self-discovery and resilience. 

A 2017 graduate of Wesleyan University, Aidan Martinez aimed to show up for his community and maximize learning through his career. Today, he puts those goals into action. Aidan serves as a Global Crisis Response Program Manager at Google.org, where he monitors crises all over the world and arranges grants on behalf of the organization. Committed to continued growth, Aidan also consciously positions himself to learn as much as he can in the workplace. 

When Jeff Chen was a student, finding mentors did not come naturally. However, five years after his 2017 graduation from Princeton University, Jeff cites networking with experienced colleagues and learning business vernacular as most integral to his success as an economic consultant. These days, Jeff remains open to professional growth thanks to support from his team and encourages others to do the same.

A recent graduate of a Master in Science in Social Work program, QuestBridge Alum Terranisha Hiley, Columbia ’15, has considered many career paths including medicine, law, and more recently social work. She is now working with an organization to build capacity to support youth and adults through a variety of systems, ranging from mental health to education to housing to child welfare.    

Being a nurse manager in an Emergency Department during COVID is not what QuestBridge Alum Christopher Wilson, Emory ’14, ever imagined for himself when he started college, but he is embracing the challenge and now enjoys working with a team that he describes as his “lion’s pride.” However, it took some careful introspection, soul searching, and mentorship for him to decide on this career path and specialty.

QuestBridge Alum Tarryn Sanchez, Vassar ‘13, struggled with finding her first job out of college, but has discovered that there are no bad decisions; every turn along the way helps you learn a little more about yourself. Combining her background in advertising and marketing with her desire for fulfilling and mission driven work, Tarryn currently serves as a mental health awareness campaign manager at a public policy institute, where she helps to remove the stigma around mental health conversations.

QuestBridge Alum Austin Nguyen, Williams ’15, wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do after his liberal arts education, having spent previous summers doing lab bench research, but through his first job as a business analyst at TripAdvisor, he learned more about data science field, and now continues to grow and learn in this ever-changing field as a data scientist.