麻豆视频

Kaiulani Pellerin is the first recipient of the John and Ann Harsh Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship

In the last two years, Kaiulani Pellerin has ruptured both of her knees鈥� anterior cruciate ligaments鈥攐r ACLs鈥攁nd a compassionate physician鈥檚 assistant intensified Pellerin鈥檚 resolve to launch a career in health care.

A new scholarship, which she recently won, will help her reach that goal, she says.

Pellerin, a first-year student majoring in integrative physiology at the 麻豆视频, is the first recipient of the John and Ann Harsh Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship, which yields a $1,000 scholarship annually for first-generation or underrepresented students majoring in integrative physiology. The endowment will ultimately yield $4,000 in scholarships annually.

The couple has also made a bequest for an endowed chair in integrative physiology.

Pellerin says the support came at a very good time.

鈥淲hen I was younger, I looked up to my mom,鈥� who has long worked in the medical field, and Pellerin says her dream is to follow suit. Her experience with two torn ACLs deepened that feeling.

Pellerin is a competitive volleyball player who was planning to play at CU Boulder, but, because of the injuries, 鈥渢hat didn鈥檛 really work out.鈥�

Now, her focus is academics.

鈥淚鈥檓 so glad I got this scholarship, and I鈥檓 so grateful,鈥� she said.

After completing her bachelor鈥檚 in integrative physiology, Pellerin plans to go to physicians鈥� assistant school.

鈥淚 want to be the person diagnosing, be the person that kids my age could go to for help, because I was in their same position. I would love to do that,鈥� she said.

Pellerin is particularly eager to develop a good 鈥渂edside manner,鈥� not just diagnosing and treating people but also 鈥渂eing there for the patient.鈥� Her experience with a physician鈥檚 assistant who diagnosed her ACL injury underscored how helpful and comforting it is to have a knowledgeable and compassionate health care provider, someone who could ease anxieties and help explain diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Pellerin鈥檚 benefactors also are passionate about health care and education.

John Harsh, a board-certified clinician in sleep medicine, has been a pioneering researcher whose investigations of treatments for narcolepsy with cataplexy contributed to development of a potentially transformative new therapeutic approach now undergoing clinical trials.

Currently he is an adjunct professor of integrative physiology at CU Boulder. Ann Harsh is a lifelong educator who has also partnered in his research for decades.

Todd T. Gleeson, a professor of integrative physiology at CU Boulder and the current faculty director of the Health Professions Residential Academic Program (HPRAP), said the Harshes鈥� gifts will help integrative physiology students like Pellerin.

鈥淭heir scholarship makes it possible for a young physiologist to start their undergraduate studies in the HPRAP with less financial debt and allows them to explore coursework, research and career opportunities earlier in their studies,鈥� Gleeson said.

Pellerin said this is indeed true for her. Winning this scholarship will help her stay in school and graduate, she said.

Pellerin grew up in California and has family on her mother鈥檚 side in Hawaii. She came to CU Boulder both for its academic reputation and its active lifestyle. Getting into HPRAP, she said, was 鈥渁wesome, because it鈥檚 setting me up already to be successful.鈥�

鈥淚 am so thankful that everyone here so supportive,鈥� she said, adding that 鈥渓iving in a place where everyone else has pretty much the same (academic) goal is really good. I鈥檓 not alone in the process.鈥�

She said the scholarship is a 鈥渂ooster seat to be successful, and it pushes me to succeed and thrive.鈥�

In addition to becoming a physician鈥檚 assistant, Pellerin also hopes to help bring better medical care to those, like her family, in Hawaii. She notes that Kauai, where her family is, lacks some medical equipment and expertise. Also, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii has reported, Kauai鈥檚 residents do not have sufficient access to health care.

In the long term, Pellerin hopes to raise money to address these issues.

鈥淚 would really like to help out my community,鈥� she said.