Scholar Spotlight
A prolific writer of poetry and song, Nate is a dynamic speaker and isn't shy about performing in front of an audience.
Scholar Films
Harun's most recent film, In the Name of the Son, is based on his experiences growing up in wartime Bosnia
Sean M. Penwell
"My experiences in the Philippines and Mexico opened my eyes to a cruel world and a harsh reality: diarrhea, malnutrition, and lack of immunizations were killing thousands of children. Knowing that many childhood deaths are preventable, I became determined to do something."
- Program: 2005 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
- Resides: Boston, MA
- Hometown: El Paso, TX
- Age: 30
- Four-year College or University: New Mexico State University
- Graduate School: Harvard University
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Entrepreneur / Independent Business, Health Care, Medical Practitioner
- Other Interests: Architecture, Church / Religious Organization, Environmental Science, Finance / Economy, International Relations / NGOs, Leadership Development, Outdoor / Mountaineering / Camping, Performing Arts / Theatre, Philosophy, Public Policy, Sports, Tutoring / Mentoring
Biography
Sean Penwell overcame an impoverished childhood, neighborhood gangs, and binge drinking. His mother worked nonstop to support her family of five, and prodded Sean to do more for others. At age 16, he began to do that when a trip to Juarez, Mexico introduced him to a family-run healthcare clinic there. He became fascinated to learn how the body works and relished the chance to help those less fortunate. In this spirit, he made three medical service trips to the Philippines, then began taking a crash course on basic health care.
Three months after his 19th birthday, Sean moved to the Philippines to work in a free maternity clinic for poor mothers. Faced with a "shockingly enormous need," he worked on a pilot feeding program for severely malnourished children, taught critical health education to parents, and, with local health officials, began an immunization program. "I realized I was destined to be a doctor," Sean says. He returned home to start college, only to find his vocational high school had done little to prepare him for college chemistry. Many people, including physicians, tried to dissuade him. He had other ideas.
Today, after earning dean's list every year at New Mexico State University, he's on his way to Harvard Medical School. Once he has mastered neurosurgery, he plans to spread that knowledge by conducting surgical clinics in developing countries. He won't stop there. He wants to lead by example, to prompt other medical experts to replicate their skills, "to volunteer their time to train physicians in the developing world."
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Donald Washington, Jr.
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Mollie McCartney
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