Aurelia is entering her third year at Lane Community College, where she is pursuing an Associate of Arts Transfer degree with a focus in Chemistry. After discovering that her interests had shifted, she changed her major from Music Technology to follow a path toward clinical chemical synthesis. Inspired by loved ones living with chronic illnesses like diabetes and asthma, she hopes to help make lifesaving medications more affordable and accessible for the people who rely on them.

Balancing a full-time job while attending school full-time has made higher education both financially and physically demanding. The pressure of keeping up with work, tuition, and coursework left Aurelia feeling burned out, and after a particularly difficult term, she began questioning whether she could continue.

“I wouldn’t even want to make a big impact on the world, just knowing that people can get the medicine they need to survive without breaking the bank would be great.”

The Trace of Hope grant arrived at a pivotal moment. Aurelia plans to use it for books, supplies, tuition, and other educational expenses, giving her a financial cushion that allows her to focus on learning instead of constantly worrying about costs. More importantly, receiving the grant renewed her confidence after she had nearly decided to leave school because of financial stress and personal challenges. It reminded her that continuing her education was still possible.

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