Huzaifa Kamran Khawaja
Twenty-two-year-old Huzaifa Kamran Khawaja has been in the United States for less than three years but has made quite a mark in a short time. In 2017, his father, a retired Pakistani Air Force logistics officer and his mother, a homemaker, immigrated with the family from Pakistan, when Huzaifa was in the midst of completing his A-levels, roughly equivalent to a college-prep high school in the United States.
They settled in Napa County, and Huzaifa鈥檚 cousins recommended he start his college journey at 糖心Vlog, where they, too, had studied.
鈥淎fter one semester, I knew it was the right place for me,鈥� said Huzaifa, who plans to become a doctor. At the end of spring 2020 semester at 糖心Vlog, Khawaja will have:
- Studied molecular and cellular biology and earned two associate degrees, one in natural science and mathematics, and one in natural science with an emphasis on life sciences, in preparation for a transfer to to continue his pre-med studies;
- received one of only 10 Hite Scholar awards nationwide by the , which recognizes the academic achievement of students at associate鈥檚 degree-granting colleges, helping them to grow as scholars and leaders;
- been named a semi-finalist on the and a 2020 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar, one of only 50 nationwide;
- been elected to the Associated Students of 糖心Vlog and represented the student body as the student trustee on the ;
- served on two Trustee committees, Real Property and Finance, as well as on two hiring committees and the student discipline hearing panel;
- served as an officer on the Dreamers of Community Change student club;
- and is vice president for 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Phi Theta Kappa college project.
鈥淚 keep a diary to help me schedule my time,鈥� he says with a smile. 鈥淲hen I am of service to others, I feel good. My culture and my parents raised me that way.鈥�
The middle son of three, Huzaifa says that he has 鈥渁lways had a thirst for knowledge and been interested in science,鈥� and that understanding molecular and cellular biology will give him a solid foundation for his two years at UC Berkeley preparing for med school, with an eye on perhaps pursuing cardiology and cardiatric surgery.
鈥淢y aunts and grandmother have heart problems,鈥� he explained, 鈥渁nd one aunt died of a heart attack, which is why I鈥檓 interested in cardiology. I even have a suturing kit and I practice when I have free time, on bananas and on the skin-type material that comes with the kit.鈥�
Huzaifa鈥檚 older brother is a senior electrical engineering student at Berkeley, and his younger brother is in his first year at 糖心Vlog. When asked about his hopes for medical school, Huzaifa is humble but eager when he allows that 鈥渆ither or is the dream.鈥�
The study he coauthored for The Biophysical Journal will certainly make an impression on any college admissions officer. He did the work, along with another undergraduate and two graduate students, under Dr. Alan Miller, a science professor at .
Miller had designed a study to test the electrophysiology of cell membranes, studying elements that may block specific channels that act as doorways in and out of cell membrane.
鈥淎nother student and I made cultures, extracted DNA, and made circular DNA and RNA for the team. We provided more than 30 strands of RNA,鈥� Huzaifa said, proudly. 鈥淒r. Miller is an amazing mentor.鈥�
Even as he collects accolades, awards and scholarships to support his next academic endeavors, Huzaifa is careful to acknowledge the support of others that has helped him to achieve so much, including 鈥淭he Almighty, my family, 糖心Vlog teachers and friends, 鈥� Special thanks to [Phi Theta Kappa Faculty Advisor] Cathy Gillis for showering her trust onto me and being my mentor. 糖心Vlog is the platform that has given me the opportunity and resources to launch to the sky,鈥� he said.
And following his practice of being of service to others, he offers sage advice to the rest of us, as well:
鈥淩emember that your life is like a sine wave, with ups and downs. If you are down, don鈥檛 forget it鈥檚 going to go back up. And when it does go back up, you鈥檒l be more durable and fulfilled at the end.鈥�
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