Sophia was born in San Francisco and grew up in Granite Bay, where she attended Granite Bay High School. She graduated at the top of her class, earning a full International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. During her time at Granite Bay High, she proudly served as an IB Ambassador, advocating for her school's IB Programme. Sophia's achievements garnered several accolades, including recognition as a Girls State finalist, the California State Seal of Biliteracy, the IB Inquirer award, the National Hispanic Recognition Award, and the Social Science award at graduation. She was also an active member of the National Honor Society and served as a peer tutor.
Sophia's unwavering commitment to education, healthcare, and health equity is evident through her acceptance into the American College of Cardiology Young Scholars Program. There, she contributed as a research intern on a project focused on cardiac health and equity and actively participated in national meetings. Additionally, Sophia enriched her knowledge and skills by participating in prestigious summer programs and workshops at renowned institutions, including two California medical schools, the UC Davis Medical School Health Equity Academy, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program addressing global disease challenges, and The NorCal Symposium on Climate, Health, and Equity in 2022. She also holds a position on the board of the UC Davis Adolescent and Young Adult Research Advisory Board. Through this diverse array of experiences, Sophia has finely tuned her abilities in research, teamwork, leadership, and effective communication. Her journey has exposed her to a wide range of diverse perspectives and challenges within our society.
Sophia's motivation stems from the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and innovation in the medical field while positively impacting the health and well-being of diverse communities. She believes that her experience and education, combined with her deep passion for science and unwavering commitment to social justice, bring a distinctive and invaluable perspective that she hopes will make a positive impact on the Santa Clara community. Sophia is honored to be a Johnson Scholar and a student at Santa Clara University. During her time at Santa Clara, she looks forward to participating in peer tutoring and advising, research, ski club, medical brigade, and giving back to the University community.