Meet the Next Wave of Scholars: Somi Clendaniel
Over the course of eight weeks we are going to introduce “the next wave” – a group of Scholars who embody the potential that can be realized when talent meets opportunity. In them, we see a brighter future for us all.
Meet Somi, one of the inspiring new Scholars in the 2026 Cooke Scholar cohort. A graduate of Seward High School in Alaska, Somi is now studying biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. She intends to go to medical school and eventually serve the rural community as a family physician or pediatrician.
Listen as Somi shares what inspires her to dream big and work toward a future where healthcare is more accessible in small communities like her hometown.