Current Scholars
Cohort 7
Chizitere Jessica Alozie
Major: Human Biology​
Favorite Keck PREP Moment: Meeting new people​
Fun Fact: I love to experiment with food, listening to Gospel and, Afrobeats
Other SC Involvements: NSA, PASA, BSA
Chelsea Larios Medina
Major: Biological Sciences
Fun Fact: I don’t like chocolate or anything spicy which is very surprising to everyone.
Jacqueline Guzman
Major: Human Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Presentation from Mrs. Richie!!! And our last class together when we did our vision boards.
Fun Fact: I have a twin brother and I am one minute younger and I also once recited 300 digits of pi just to get extra credit.
Other SC Involvements: Women’s volleyball club and Troy Camp.
Andrew Paresa
Major: Biochemistry
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: The blindfold and sitting on chair game while trying to organize by birthdays. It was so funny.
Fun Fact: I know a lot about running shoes. (Ask me for advice!)​
Braden Dawson
Major: Health and Human Sciences
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: My favorite KECK PREP memory was probably when I got the chance of hear what motivated others within KECK PREP to pursue medicine. It was quite eye opening and exciting to hear what pushes everyone else. Being around so many passionate people is an incredible feeling.
Fun Fact: A fun fact about myself is I lived on a farm for six years but still couldn't tell you the difference between a cow, a steer, bulls, and cattle.
Other SC Involvements: Daily Trojan Photographer, USC Viterbi Photographer, USC Troy Camp Counselor
Madison Omega
Major: Global Health
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: The unspoken rule game during one of the Keck Prep classes!
Fun Fact: I have 12k followers on tiktok with my most famous video getting almost 1 million views.
Other SC Involvements:
Troyphi - Filipino cultural organization
AMWA - American Medical Women's Association
APAA - USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association
Natalie Arredondo
Major: Human Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Meeting everyone for the first time and learning what they want to do in the future!
Fun Fact: I’m so afraid of butterflies.
Other SC Involvements: Latino Students in Medicine, MedLife, American Medical Women’s Association, Latino Alumni Association, Norman Topping
Brandon Rodriguez Silva
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Health Care Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Med Student for a Day.
Fun Fact: I used to drive a manual car.
Other SC Involvements: Trojan Health Interpretation Services, Spanish Undergraduate Student Association, Alpha Phi Omega, QuestBridge Scholars, Latinos in Medicine, Trojan Barbell Club
Kimberly Sandoval
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Playing Bingo after the Med Student for a Day event.
Fun Fact: When I was younger I was into fashion so I would design and make my own clothes using old fabric, a needle, and some thread.
Other SC Involvements:
- I’m a member of the Trojan Health Interpreting Services club
- I’m also part of the Pre-OT club
Dylan Cuevas
Major: Health and Human Sciences
Minor: Computer Science
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Med Student for a Day
Fun Fact: I can recite the alphabet backwards.
Other SC Involvements: I'm in Break On 2 (salsa dance team).
Febie Tarpley
Major: Biological Sciences
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Med Student for a Day! I got to get to know my cohort better and share many laughs!
Fun Fact: I'm a singer-songwriter who is obsessed with my cat, Jambalaya.​
Alissa Rose
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Health Care Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Being a Med Student for a day!
Fun Fact: I have about 350 books.
Other SC Involvements: Trojan honor society, African Americans In Health member
Isaiah Johnson
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Photography
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Med Student for a Day.
Fun Fact: I have a clothing brand. (@brand.dieu.merci)
Other SC Involvements: African Americans In Health (PR CHAIR), Bridge Builders Ambassador
Janet Kim
Major: Health and Human Sciences
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Med Student for a Day!
Fun Fact: I can gainer off a diving board
Other SC Involvements: Flying Sams, WRISE
Cohort 6
Melissa Peruch
Major: Health & Human Sciences
Favorite Keck PREP Moment: My favorite Keck PREP memory was just always being able to go to class (MEDS-120) and unwind with everyone else. It was always so therapeutic to come together and talk about how we were feeling. Something that does come back to me was when we watched the movie, "Wit," in class and a couple of us were crying together by the end of the movie. I think that was a bonding moment (lol).
Fun Fact: I love horror/thriller movies and I am always down to watch a good one regardless of the time of year!
Other SC Involvements:
RA for McCarthy Honors College (MHC)
General Member at Flight Samaritans (FS)
Treasurer for Rotaract 'SC
Joany Martinez
Major: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Minor: Health Care Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Moment: When my cohort received our Keck Prep shirts and got Christmas sugar cookies.
Fun Fact: I work as a part-time security guard at concerts ;)
Other SC Involvements:
Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc.
Flying Samaritans
Latino Students in Medicine (LSM)
Trojan Health Volunteers (THV)
Sanabria Lab Research Student Worker
Amirah Joseph
Major: Human Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Watching and discussing Wit with Kamber, Samantha, and Melissa.
Fun Fact: I’ve had the chance to grow up across various cultures, picking up a bit of Spanish, Korean, and Chinese along the way—so I’m always interested in connecting with people wherever I go!
Other SC Involvements: I am currently involved with MEDLIFE, Peaks & Professors, EMClubUSC, Sisters in Solidarity, Curly Vision SC, and Girls in Games.
Kamber Puebla
Major: Human Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Drawing animal crackers in Meds 120 and seeing how interested we were in seeing how people would eat them.
Fun Fact: I am a dinosaur and card game enthusiast at heart!​
Other SC Involvements: Latino Students in Medicine, USC Athletics Sports Medicine Student Worker, Trojan Scholar Society, WRISE.
Samantha Chaidez
Major: Human Biology
Minor: Psychology and Law
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Meeting other students that were also struggling. It helped me cope with my imposter syndrome because I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, I had people there for me.
Fun Fact: I am a Emergency Medical Technician.
Shad Bello
Major: Neuroscience
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Med student for a day.
Fun Fact: I can do a backflip.
Other SC Involvements: USC Concert Committee
Yolitza Godinez
Major: Biological Sciences
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Reuniting with everyone after MEDS-120 class ended.
Fun Fact: 7 is my lucky number! I was born 7 minutes away from 07/07/2005. I have 7 toes (I'm kidding). I'm my dad's 7th child.
Other SC Involvements: KDSAP, Swim Club, LSM, USC Transportation, and JEP:826 LA
Vianca Lopez Molina
Major: Biological Sciences (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology)
Minor: Health Care Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: My favorite Keck PREP memory was when we received our T-shirts and Christmas cookies! It was a fun experience picking which cookie shape we wanted and then asking each other how we would take the first bite.
Fun Fact: I met FouseyTube at LAX. He saw that I recognized him and was streaming when he came up to me and pointed the camera at my face. I walked away awkwardly after greeting him and he stared me down for a couple seconds after LOL.
Other SC Involvements:
- Latino Students in Medicine (LSM); Intern
- Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program (KDSAP)
- SecondCycle; Vice President
- American Women Medical Association (AMWA)
- SCience OUTreach (SCOUT)
- Brain, Emotion, and Attention Development (BEAD) Research Assistant
- Keck Shadow
- CHLA ED Volunteer
Riley Ramirez
Major: Biological Sciences (Marine Biology)
Minor: Health Care Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Visiting Keck for the first time!
Fun Fact: I love to scuba dive and have been diving with sharks before.
Other SC Involvements: AED, Society of Cosmetic Chemists, SCout
Karla Villanueva
Major: Biopharmaceutical Sciences
Minor: Neuroscience
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Border Angels outreach day
Fun Fact: I'm a triplet
Other SC Involvements: Christian Challenge at USC
Pre-pharmacy society
Flying Samaritans
Research at HSC
Cohort 5
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Amal Roble
Major: Health Promotion Disease Prevention
Progressive Degree: Healthcare Administration
Favorite Keck PREP Moment: All the laughs during class, love my keck prep community <3.
Fun Fact: I am an RA :)
Other SC Involvements:
- Emergency Responder Project
- BlackGen Capital
- SC Healthcare Consulting Group
- African Americans in Health
- MLT
- Take on College Mentor
Isaac Villarreal
Major: Neuroscience
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: My favorite memory is participating in Keck PREP's Alternative Spring Break. We got to help the community of East LA and were also treated with a tour of USC's Health Science Campus.
Fun Fact: I have a pet rabbit.
Other SC Involvements: USC NPA Club Social Media Coordinator​
Riona Duong
Major: Human Biology
Nathalia Ortiz
Major: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Doing the alternative spring break and going to Tijuana with Kamber, Jaime, and Maite!
Fun Fact: I can sing!​
Other SC Involvements: Mariachi Los Troyanos De USC
Rahinatou Sawadogo
Major: Biopharmaceutical Science
Minor: Applied Analytics
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Planning goals at the beginning of the semester!
Fun Fact: I can ride my scooter with one hand while balancing something else in the other, multitasking pro on wheels!
Other SC Involvements:
Getting to know other cohorts with Maite
Networking with Kairos
Fernanda Mata
Major: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Catching up every Friday at MEDS 120.
Fun Fact: I've had purple hair.
Other SC Involvements: Latino Students in Medicine (LSM), Medical Counseling, Organizing, and Recruiting program (Med-COR) Tutor/Facilitator, Camp Kesem, Clinical Research Assistant at USC Multiple Sclerosis Center, KSOM Medical Spanish Instructor, Trojan Health Interpretation Services (THIS)
Ashley Nunez
Major: Human Biology
Minor: Spanish
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Alternative Spring Break!
Fun Fact: I'm the oldest of 5 siblings.
Other SC Involvements: Planned Parenthood Generation Action, Pre-Physical Therapy Club, JEP Anatomy Mini-course, Resident Assistant
Eduardo Vences
Major: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: During my freshman year, my cohort toured the USC Keck campus, where we had to opportunity to meet the dean. She was incredibly inspirational and made me even more excited to pursue a career in medicine.
Fun Fact: I can play three instruments-piano, drums, and voice.I'm also part of a national choir and perform a few times a year.
Other SC Involvements:
- Acapella Group
- Norman Topping Scholar
Maliek Redmond
Major: Biological Sciences (Biotechnology)
Minor: Health Care Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Getting my first research/shadow experience through Keck Prep called Bridging the Gaps!
Fun Fact: I ran a half marathon in Agora Hills (yes the doja cat song) and will be training for the LA marathon.
Other SC Involvements: BPX - Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Honor Society, Global Medical Brigade, & USC Health Science Education Program
Yingyan Xie
Major: Human Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: My favorite Keck Prep Memory was the Keck-community volunteering event at East LA.
Fun Fact: I don’t like carrots.
Other SC Involvements: Research assistant, JEP Mini-Course
Cohort 4
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Damaris Ortega
Major: Health and Human Sciences
Minor: Spanish
Favorite Keck PREP Moment: We got to have Associate Dean of Admissions at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Dr. Raquel Arias in our class!
Fun Fact: I can sleep anywhere.
Other SC Involvements: The Pad Project President.
Abigail Trang
Major: Human Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Meeting people from my cohort!
Fun Fact: I still have a baby tooth.
Other SC Involvements: APAMSA, GeroTechSC, uSC/ITA program, NIDLL Research Lab, Keck Hospital Volunteer​
Ariel Ford
Major: Biopharmaceutical Sciences; Management of Drug Development
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Socializing with everyone in my cohort in the MEDS 299 class! I loved having that community of other STEM, pre-health students to just hang with and discuss our goals, especially in my first year!
Fun Fact: I love going to concerts! My first was seeing Usher in Las Vegas, and I also saw Beyoncé in her Renaissance tour!
Other SC Involvements: Norman Topping Student Aid Fund, Pre-Pharmacy Society, USC Research Gateway Program
Paola Jimenez
Major: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: One of my favorite Keck PREP memories was volunteering at Midnight Mission, and visiting the Health Science Campus during Spring break my freshman year.
Fun Fact: I played the violin for four years!
Other SC Involvements:
Latino Students in Medicine (LSM)
Flying Samaritans
Trojan Food Pantry Volunteer
Galilee Mengesha
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Nutrition and Health Promotion
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: I loved the surgical technique day!
Fun Fact: I've lived in 3 different countries :0
Other SC Involvements: S.I. Leader, Keck Prep Tutor, Trojan Scholars Society, research @ Branch Lab
Kenneth Nguyen
Major: Quantitative Biology
Minor: Health Care Studies/Connected Devices and Making
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Alternative Spring Break
Fun Fact: I slept without a pillow for ~10 years.
Other SC Involvements: Keck Prep Tutor, COMPASS Scholars Program, Community Health Involvement Project (CHIP)
Symone Moore
Major: Global Health
Minor: Natural Science
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: My favorite Keck Prep memory is meeting Keck Prep alum my freshman year.
Fun Fact: I love to travel to new places.
Other SC Involvements:
Cancer Research
Global Medical Missions Alliance
American Medical Women's Association
USC Housing Resident Assistant
Christian Challenge
Peyton Hall
Major: Quantitative Biology
Favorite Keck PREP Memory: Alternative Spring Break! We did lots of volunteer work and were able to take a skills course with Keck physicians on HSC
Fun Fact: I'm a volunteer birth doula!
Other SC Involvements: Woodlums SC