Honors Student and Lincoln Laureate Shares Her Aim to Serve Her Community with Medical Care
via UIC Today:
Honors Student Monica Padilla credits UIC with giving her the tools to keep her eyes on her goal: attending medical school and serving her community as a bilingual physician.
During her four years at the university, the premedical student dedicated much of her time in and out of the classroom to improving public health in underserved communities.
Padilla, a double major in public health and biological sciences and a member of UIC’s Honors College, is UIC’s 2024 Lincoln Academy Student Laureate. The award is given to seniors – just one from each college in Illinois – who have followed in the path of former President Abraham Lincoln by committing themselves to leadership and positive social change.
UIC has really offered that support system,” said Padilla. “Since freshman year, my advisor Kathryn Burns-Howard in the Honors College has let me know, ‘You’re doing amazing; here are some opportunities.’”