Featured Scholar: Keyara Piri

As a Smittcamp Family Honors College (SFHC) scholar and biology major, junior Keyara Piri was offered a prestigious full-time surgical internship with the Foundation for Surgical Innovation & Education (FSIE) in Portland, Oregon. The program is designed to provide extensive mentorship, operating room and clinical exposure, as well as hands-on skills specific to the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery, flexible endoscopy, and laboratory work. However, she had to cover travel and living expenses for the two-week internship herself. With help from the Student Success Fund, Keyara was able to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

“It was truly an honor to receive funds from the SFHC Student Success Fund. I am so thankful to the honors college and Fresno State for the opportunity. With this support, I was able to participate in one of the most meaningful clinical experiences in my pre-med journey thus far. It is due to the kindness of donors that students like me are able to make their dreams tangible.”

- Keyara Piri

SFHC directly impacts social mobility and economic vitality in the Central Valley and attracts young scholars who might otherwise attend universities outside of the area or, in some cases, not have an opportunity to attend college at all. After graduation, over 60 percent of alumni continue to live in the San Joaquin Valley or return after additional studies, and 87 percent live in California.

Keyara will be one of these alumni. She plans to apply to medical school in the upcoming cycle and will certainly be a more competitive applicant due to this experience.