Bahareh Abadian

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“The road to my accomplishments has not been easy. My life has been filled with unfortunate situations, but I’ve learned to be resilient and determined.”

  • Program: 2010 Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Recipient
  • Resides: Los Angeles, CA
  • Hometown: Tehran/Tustin
  • Age: 22

Biography

 

PROFILE: Bahareh Abadian is a model of resilience. The young Scholar, who came to the US with her mother from Iran five years ago, has persevered through tragedy and continues to move forward. In Iran, she lost the two male figures in her life: her father passed away and her younger brother died in a car accident. Trying to recover, she and her mother settled in Southern California, and soon were joined by her aunt, a physician. Bahareh was fond of her aunt, but endured personal loss again when her aunt was diagnosed with a terminal disease and died a short time later. “The loss of my 34-year-old aunt to cancer was a shock that changed my life,” Bahareh said. The tragedy sparked her interest in oncology, and her desire to become a doctor.

INSPIRATION: In addition to the late aunt who taught her each makes a difference in countless others' lives, Bahareh looks to her mother for guidance. “My mom showed me how to push over the brick walls and she taught me how to turn great challenges into opportunities,” Bahareh said.

ASPIRATION: Bahareh aspires to be as good a doctor as her late aunt was. “My aunt’s passion was to help and support her patients,” she said. “From counseling pregnant teens, to couples who were having difficulty conceiving; from bringing new children into the world, to comforting patients leaving it; from treating a scraped knee to referring a patient to a surgeon, she touched the lives of the young and old, the healthy and sick.” It’s a legacy Bahareh hopes to emulate.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: For a year, Bahareh has been a dedicated volunteer in the emergency room at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, CA.   At Orange Coast College, she is a volunteer tutor for students struggling with academics. On a personal level, Bahareh is proud that when she first arrived in an American high school with limited English skills, she pushed herself to take advanced classes and learn the language along the way. She graduated with high honors from Orange Coast College.

ACCOLADES: Bahareh is a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and was named to the All-California Academic Team. In addition, she was awarded the Honors Program Scholarship, Leaders of Promise Scholarship, and the Joseph R. Kroll Leadership Award from Orange Coast College.

INTERESTING FACT: Bahareh performs traditional Persian dance. 
 

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