As far back as she can remember, Sarah Alameddine aspired to pursue a career in the medical field. Raised in a two-parent home, she credits her mother for fueling her desire to use medicine as a tool to impact the lives of others.
“My mother’s passion, dedication and resilience to help others no matter the circumstances not only ignites the flame of my desire to pursue a career in the health profession, but also allows me to establish long-term visions and goals,” said Alameddine.
Her quest to fulfill her dream did not come without challenges. A month before the former Travis High student began her freshman semester at HCU, she received the devastating news that her mother and grandmother were diagnosed with breast cancer within two days of each other. Leaning on the resilience instilled in her by her mother, Alameddine forged ahead to begin pursuing her educational goals.
“Having two of the strongest women in my life going through something like that was definitely detrimental on my end. But I knew that I wanted to take that as a motivating factor to give back to my community and to really grow my passion for the medical field. I definitely took that route instead of going into the other little hole that it could have gone into,” she shared in an interview with KHOU “Great Day Houston” host, Deborah Duncan in a segment highlighting the 2023 Spirit of Excellence Gala.
With a strong resolve and the help of several University scholarships, including the President’s Scholarship, the Margaret S. Hudson Alumni Endowed Scholarship and the Grace Hopper Scholarship, Alameddine is pursuing a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology on her way to fulfilling her dream of a career in medicine.
“I aspire to make a difference in my community, and these scholarships are an influencing factor when it comes to affording the education I need in order to pursue my career. I believe that education is the primary factor that leads to success, and I try to connect my passion for education with my desire for helping others,” said Alameddine.
Her mother, Dr. Hala Alameddine, graduated from HCU in 2005 with a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and works as Chief Operating Officer/Chief Clinical Officer at Kindred Hospital in Sugar Land.
“[My mother] continuously mentioned how the professors believed in her and how much they wanted their students to succeed and shine through their education. She also believed that ‘[the] magic of education in a faith-based institution empowers students in making a difference in the community,’” said the HCU junior.
Scheduled to graduate in 2024, she looks forward to continuing her mother’s legacy and fulfilling her childhood dream of working in the medical field. “I admire medicine, not only [because of] its capabilities of healing the body, but through the concept of being able to help others,” said Alameddine.
During her “Great Day Houston” interview, she acknowledged that the financial constraints associated with going to college and paying tuition would have made it a challenge for her to also pay for medical school.
“But the beauty of the scholarships is that they have alleviated some of that tension and constraints that would have been added had I not [received] scholarships,” said the HCU junior.
As she focuses on completing her studies, she has set her aim on being accepted into a Texas-area medical school and specializing in the field of breast surgical oncology, a goal she knows is possible with the help of God and the generous scholarships that are enabling her to fulfill her dreams.