Raquel Avila

Merrifield Scholar Dreams of Helping and Healing Children

For biology senior Raquel Avila, hard work paid off in the form of a $10,000 scholarship.

Getting a sweet treat after her childhood check-ups is what initially inspired senior Raquel Avila to pursue medicine.

“I remember thinking, ‘I want to be a doctor! I want to give out lollipops!’ Seriously, that was my motivation,” she jokes. “Ever since then, I’ve stuck to my dream.”

Avila, a biology major with a biochemistry minor, has been working diligently to achieve that dream ever since. Last semester, her hard work paid off: Avila was awarded the $10,000 Donald P. Merrifield, S.J. scholarship through the Mexican American Alumni Association (MAAA).

For Avila, the third time was a charm. After being turned down for a MAAA scholarship for two consecutive years, Avila was granted MAAA’s highest award on her final attempt.

“I thought, ‘it doesn’t hurt to try again,’” she says. “And when I found out I got the Merrifield … I was so surprised when I opened the letter, I started crying.”

Avila, a native of South Gate, Calif., was chosen to receive the award based on her academic excellence, leadership qualities, and community service.

Much of Avila’s community involvement has been with the campus organization BELLAS – Benefiting the Education of Latinas through Leadership, Academics and Sisterhood. With the group, Avila participates in activities such as beach clean-ups, toy drives and disseminating relevant health information to the Latino population.

The aspiring pediatrician also finds time to volunteer at St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach and to teach independent living skills to disabled clients. She’s also worked as a math and reading tutor with the Academic Advantage program, which provides free services to low-income families — a population Avila intends to serve as a physician.

“I want to work in a need-based, lower-income area,” she says. “There are so many people who can’t afford quality medical services. Some people don’t even go to the doctor when they need to.”

While the idea of handing out lollipops to kids is what first drew Avila to pediatrics, it was her experience as a teen with a serious illness that further convinced her she wanted to make a career of helping and healing children.

“When I was sixteen, I got really, really sick,” she says. “My doctor was very supportive and encouraging [and told me], ‘you can get an education, you can become a doctor someday.

“I’m so grateful to him for that, and I hope I can do that for other children.”