Bob DeLorenzo Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Sarah's 2024 Update:

Over the four years so far, I have continued to maintain a 3.95 GPA. I was accepted into the PharmD honors program, and have started two other research projects since my last correspondence with you. My previous project was presented nationally at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Critical Care Conference in January, which was held in Arizona. Through that, I learned a lot about presenting to a larger audience, especially those who worked in the same field. Overall, the experience was fun and I got to see many presentations on topics that were interesting to me. I was also inducted into Rho Chi, which is one of the most prestigious pharmaceutical fraternities in the country, and I was selected as the VP for this upcoming year. I hope to gain more experience through this program as well. 

My studies overall have continued to go smoothly, and I expect them to continue that way for the next two years. Even though I have received the last scholarship from you, I will continue to provide updates up until my graduation. I would be honored to send you a graduation picture once I receive my doctorate degree. 

 Sarah's 2023 Update:

Throughout this year, many things were put to the test.  My knowledge, studying abilities, and connections have all grown through my curriculum and my new job. My courses continued to be all in-person and my labs finally started to pertain directly to my Doctor of Pharmacy program, and I began to learn how to compound and check prescriptions.  Most of my lectures have started to connect with each other, which I am thoroughly enjoying. However, my courses have gotten quite a bit higher in difficulty since I am considered to be in my "professional years" of pharmacy school. Even so, I worked hard to keep my grades up, especially in the second semester, and earned the high GPA I wanted. 

Since the last time I updated, many things have changed. I have finished my minor in Biostatistics from Simmons University, been accepted as a pharmacy intern at a major hospital, and will be starting an undergraduate research project in the coming weeks! Along with that, due to my hard work in my classes, I have also recently been able to apply for MCPHS's PharmD honors program and am hoping to be accepted. Overall, I think this year has been successful, and I look forward to the challenge of my fourth year. 

Sarah's 2022 Update:

Over the course of this year, things have gotten better in regards to COVID and the protocols involved. I finally had actual lectures in my spring semester, which was a fun experience, and I had a few collaborative classes that allowed me to meet many other students in comparison to last year. Most importantly, labs were allowed again! As a STEM major, labs have always been my favorite part of the learning process, since I tend to learn through hands-on methods. My friends and I are doing well and somehow survived the year. This past semester had some difficult classes that had low passing rates, but through my determination and hard work, I passed with an A and an A- in the courses. I also expect to finish my minor in Biostatistics after next week!

I believe I could definitely improve upon my study habits, especially since I begin my professional years next Fall. I look forward to the challenge it will bring, but being prepared is another story. 

One of my favorite parts of this past year was being able to move into a new apartment with a couple of my friends. We have started to become independent, and it finally feels like I'm in college, especially when compared to last year. 

Sarah's 2021 Update:

"This past year has been quite odd with online classes and limitations that were implemented within my school. Luckily, I was able to go to school in person and have two in-person classes during my first semester. Sadly my in-person class during second semester got switched last minute, so I didn't have any physical classes in spring. There were many limitations involved when you live on campus, such as having to get tested for COVID twice a week and not being able to go into other dorm halls, which can make it difficult to make new friends. I moved across the country, so making new friends was a goal I implemented from the start, and I met that goal pretty quickly thankfully. I got to meet a lot of people from across the country and around the world, and eventually found a group of people I clicked with. There were a lot of ups and downs throughout the year, both academically and socially, but I got through it.  

Exploring Boston was probably my favorite thing to do. Everything in the city is easy to get to because of the extensive metro system in the city, so traveling was quite simple. The food in the area is always an adventure, and there's always a variety of choices (except in the cafeteria). My college is also quite close to others, so that portion of Boston is truly a college area with the amount of students you see daily. Sometimes I forget that there are working adults or families with young children nearby, but somehow I'm always reminded. 

My first year of college wasn't terrible, but it definitely could have been better. I could have had normal classes, met more people, joined clubs, or explored more, but complaining about the past won't change anything. Instead, I hope for my second year to be better, and hope for a better me. "

Sarah's Initial Overview 2020

Sarah Beasley graduated from North High School and was one of the four Graduate Scholars at North High, earning straight A’s for every semester.  Sarah played soccer for North all four years, finishing her career on the Varsity team.  In her spare time, she volunteered at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.  Sarah started to develop her love for math and science during her last year in middle school, leading her to choose her career path in medicine.  She has committed to a four year university program at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) with Premedical and Health Studies as her declared major.

Natalia's 2024 Update - TBD

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Natalia's 2023 Update

Approaching my final year as a microbiology major has led me to find many new opportunities to experience biology from beyond a classroom. I was heavily inspired by my previous higher-division biology course to look for experience outside the course guidelines. Recently I have been applying to volunteer for the International Bird Rescue Wildlife Center along with enjoying multiple trips to the coral reefs and aquarium at Cabrillo Beach. Aside from achieving my personal goals, I have also been gaining experience as a newly promoted SI Mentor at the Toro Learning and Testing Center. I have been able to create so many connections with professors and my fellow peers, and I have learned so much over the years. I am extremely thankful and excited to see what more I can learn and accomplish this upcoming year.

Natalia's 2022 Update

Transfering from attending online courses to in-person courses proved to be a bit of a  challenge for me. I had to adjust to a whole new environment as I tried to look for the locations of different buildings, pack enough supplies for a whole day's worth of courses, and switch from working online to in person. The first few weeks felt very overwhelming, but during these types of times I'm very fortunate to say that I still had the support of my friends, family, and faculty. It almost felt like I was a freshman once again with how many new experiences and cllaneges I faced, but it was also exciting to be back in person. I had the realization of how much I missed discussions with my peers and professors face to face, how much I enjoyed performing experiments in my labratory courses, and how greatful I was for being able to continue helping other peers as a Supplemetnal Instrucutor at the Toro Learning Center. This year has brought me closer to my community and given me new opporunities that I am truly thankful for.

Natalia's 2021 UPDATE:

I will admit my first year of college did not turn out how I planned it would. However, I also realized that I never had an expectation of what college life would be either. So when I joined group chats for school courses, online servers for clubs, and art galleries through zoom I felt comforted. In the face of hardships people will find ways to keep connected and stay productive. Despite all the impacts of COVID-19, opportunities and people continued forward in what felt like a stagnant world to me. I find myself very fortunate to have friends and family to motivate me to move forward with my studies and life, and to me that is the best college experience I could ask for.

Natalia's Initial Overview 2020

Natalia Corrales is a 2020 graduate of Torrance High School.  She will be attending California State University, Dominguez Hills with a major in biology: microbiology with the ultimate goal of  becoming a clinical pathologist.  Aside from having a deep interest in microbiology, Natalia is passionate about mathematics and also expressing her creativity through her art.  She is the first person in her family to go to college and aspires to reach her full potential and to gain many valuable experiences over the next four years..