TAMIU Annual Report 2019

2019 Annual Report / AWORLDOF DIFFERENCE 11 Alumni/ DIFFERENCE Erick Vázquez Cano, ’19 (B.S. Chemistry) weighed options carefully between attending a college in México or Texas A&M International Universitywhen applying as a high school graduate fromNuevo Laredo, México’s Colegio Royal. He said he chose TAMIU, partly due to its proximity to his parents’ home inNuevo Laredo, but also because he had planned to take his fundamental classes at theUniversity and transfer to a university outside Laredo. Four years later, he graduated from TAMIU with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, and is glad he never transferred to another university. Thanks tohis dedicationand impressive scientific research at TAMIU, he was one of only 20 students nationwide accepted to Harvard University’s doctoral program in Chemical Biology. He credits TAMIU’sDr. Ruby Ynalvez, associate professor of Biology andDr. AlfredAddo-Mensah, associate professor of Chemistry, for helping himnarrowhis research focus, while encouraging himto present at conferences and to apply to Harvard. “If I’mgoing to grad school in the first place, it’s because of Dr. Ynalvez,” he said, “Shewas the onewhohelpedme consolidatemy passion by helpingme attend national conferences ever sincemy second year in college,” Vázquez Cano said. “Dr. Addo-Mensah, three other students, and I went toBoston to present a research poster at the American Chemical Society Conference,” Vázquez Cano said, “That’swhenhe askedme, ‘Where do you want to go to grad school?’ I answered that I wanted to go to TheUniversity of Texas at Austin. He then askedme, ‘Where do you really want to go?’ So, I said if I possibly could go to Harvard, thatwouldbe nice. He toldme to then apply, because I hadnothing to lose,” he continued. He says he’s proud to represent TAMIU at Harvard. “Just the fact that I have a diploma fromTAMIU… for Harvard to knowthat they have goodpeople coming out of thisUniversity, might change the way they look at us or the way they perceive regional universities,” he said. Vázquez Cano said that he has not yet decided about his future career path. “Once I completemy doctoral studies, I’mopen to everything,” he said, “With a Ph.D., you can become a professor, do industrial researchor become a consultant to a lawmaker. Youget todream whatever you want to do. Before, I couldn’t dreamof working for the World Health Organization, but after Harvard, I’m sure the doors will be open for anything.” Erick Vázquez Cano