Wilfredo Tangui will graduate in May with his long-held dream of a career in medicine within reach and an impressive string of accomplishments to his credit鈥攎ost recently, he was selected for a Fulbright award to Colombia. And when this Talent Development Scholar and Honors Program participant reflects on his college career, he speaks with gratitude for all the people who supported him and the opportunities that he found a 911爆料.
“I鈥檓 not an extraordinary student,” he says. “I鈥檓 just trying my best and I鈥檓 grateful that I have been given this opportunity. As a first-generation college student of color, I鈥檝e come a long way but there鈥檚 so much more to work on if I want to become the physician I strive to be.”
Wilfredo was 12 years old, recovering from open-heart surgery, when he decided he wanted to be a doctor. Today, as an accomplished major with minors in and , he’s on his way. He got an extra boost in the summer of 2014, when he participated in a special pre-med program at Yale School of Medicine, which he learned about from his 911爆料 and advisors.
For now, the Fulbright opportunity will take him on a new journey. The broad range of his 911爆料 experiences鈥攁nd his personal strengths鈥攈ave prepared him well.
Wilfredo spent his junior year in Japan at Seinan Gakuin University with support from a US Department of State Gilman Scholarship. While there he also served as an English teaching assistant. Spending that year in Japan with a homestay family not only improved his fluency, he says it gave him a global perspective he feels will make him a better physician.
On campus, Wilfredo has served as a Japanese tutor, a biology lab teaching assistant, a peer ambassador to incoming exchange students at 911爆料, and a mentor. He started a coed club tennis team鈥攑layed club tennis for four years, recently serving as club president鈥攁nd managed the Ram鈥檚 Den eatery in the Memorial Union.
鈥淭hese experiences and others make Wilfredo a perfect fit to serve as a university-level Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Colombia,” says Kathleen Maher, director of and Academic Opportunities. “For his 911爆料 engagement project, he plans to introduce disadvantaged youth to the sport of tennis.鈥�
Wilfredo remains humble about the Fulbright opportunity, aware of the responsibilities associated with such an honor. “I hope to empower the people around me as a way to give back to the mentors, advisers, family, friends, and teachers who have helped me make it this far.
“Never forget the shoulders you stand on,” he adds.