Building Community Care in STEM & Medicine

For Sharon Vazquez Vite ’26, graduating from Pitzer College is more than a personal milestone. It’s the realization of a dream that is connected with the sacrifice and the hopes of her family.

Vazquez Vite grew up in Los Angeles and found inspiration in her parents’ struggles and determination. Watching their sacrifices to give her and her brother a better life — especially her mother’s faith and resilience in immigrating to the U.S. from Mexico — shaped the way that Vazquez Vite has appreciated education and opportunity from an early age.

“My graduation I think is one of the biggest accomplishments, especially for my mom,” she said. “She wanted me to have the most so that I can experience a better lifestyle.”

That perspective stayed with her throughout her academic journey, from attending Stern Math and Science School in Los Angeles to eventually discovering Pitzer through a counselor and Pitzer alumna there, Xochil Johansen ’13.

At the time, Vazquez Vite knew little about The Claremont Colleges.  Knowing Vazquez Vite’s involvement with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, an L.A.-based nonprofit organization that advocates for immigrant and civil rights, Johansen encouraged her to look  at Pitzer, particularly because of the College’s commitment to social responsibility and advocacy.

“Advocacy and standing up for what you believe in is something I deeply value because I think it’s what drives people to create change and build community,” she recalled. “Johansen talked to me about Pitzer and thought it would be a great school for me. She was right: I really did connect with the school in that way. That’s one of the core values I personally value.”

Personalized STEM Education

Now, as she prepares to graduate with a combined biology and chemistry major on the pre-med track, Vazquez Vite said she has tried to take full advantage of her four years at Pitzer.

“I really value the friendships and connections I’ve made at Pitzer,” she said.

Her academic experience has been defined largely by STEM coursework, research and mentorship from faculty members across the Claremont Colleges consortium. She said that the small class sizes at Pitzer fostered deeper collaboration.

“The science classes here in Claremont are really great,” she said. “I’ve had amazing professors who have even asked me to work in their labs.”

Vazquez Vite also found encouragement in studying alongside other women in STEM in the Department of Natural Sciences of Pitzer and Scripps Colleges.

“In many of my classes, the majority of my classmates have been female, and it’s really been empowering for me,” she said. “It’s also been really nice having a small setting and atmosphere to have small study groups and  to communicate with everyone in your classes.”

Her research experience has included work in the lab of Barbara Fortini at Keck Graduate Institute, where she studied colon cancer research. Her thesis focused on identifying and characterizing an unknown protein and examining its role in colon cancer development within the body.

Community Engagement in Medicine

Vazquez Vite also immersed herself in campus organizations and community engagement. She became active in the Latinx Student Union, which she says helped provide a sense of belonging during her undergraduate experience. She served as the group’s secretary, social media coordinator, and class representative. 

Other activities include volunteering through CGA Tech Workshops to help senior residents with phones, laptops, and tablets and joining the 5C organization Health Bridges, where she worked with Spanish-speaking patients at local hospitals. She helped translate conversations between patients and nurses.

“Especially because the population here in Pomona is Spanish speaking, I’ve wanted to do something that would be really impactful,” she said.

Her experiences in healthcare settings have strengthened her decision to pursue a future medical career. Vazquez Vite said she plans to take the MCAT exam, work as a medical assistant, and eventually apply to medical school. She is considering becoming either an anesthesiologist or a physician’s assistant.

For her, medicine is not only a career path but also a way to address disparities she has seen in the interactions between Latinx communities and the healthcare system.

“I’m really drawn to my community, and it’s important to give them the care that they need,” she said. “Everyone needs the same level of care, and it’s important to help those who are underserved.”