The Vincent to my Louise and the Others that Shaped Me.
They say that it takes a village to raise a child. A village to mold a tiny human into an adult with morals and values. When thinking about my village, I think about a lot of the family members, family friends, and mentors that have shaped the woman I am today.
There are four people who have played a large role in my life. Beginning with my mom, Suzie Melgoza.
For as long as I know, it has just been me and my mom. My parents divorced when I was young, and our lives completely changed. However, I was able to learn a lot from this experience. As a young girl, this proved itself to be an emotional obstacle that I needed to learn how to rise above. I watched my mother struggle; she built her life from the ground up and showed me that it would not be easy to do so.
Although it took time, I overcame the separation of my parents by learning that it is important for one to be independent and hardworking. My mother transferred me to a catholic school and ensured the success of my future. She never had to preach the most important lessons in life. She showed me by example; how to get up after falling down, and how anything is possible as long as you are willing to work hard.
My grandparents, Aurelio and Amparo Melgoza.
When I think of myself and the qualities that I possess as a person, I think of my grandparents. My grandmother and my grandfather are two of the most important people in my life. Without them, I simply wouldn’t be Jess.
My grandparents have always had a large role in my life. My grandma took me to school every day from the time I was in kindergarten up until I reached fourth grade. It was during our walks every morning that I really got to know her. I learned from the way that she walked, to the way that she talked and interacted with others. Once I completed the third grade, I was transferred out of my neighborhood school and placed in a small private school a couple of minutes away. At this point in my life, my grandpa took over and began driving me to school and continued to do so until I graduated from high school. I picked up his sense of humor, and love of sports, tv shows, and movies. I listened to his stories about his mother, a woman I hope to be like one day, and about his time at work. I see parts of my grandpa and grandma in me more and more every day. Their love and support have filled my heart with so much joy and I know that I would not be who I am without them in my life.
My Primary Investigator, Dr. Dorothy Kozlowski.
One of my goals in life is to pursue a career in the medical field. However, it has not always been easy for me. Growing up, I did not have a lot of access to programs and resources that could advance me in the field. I was often overlooked and not seen as worthy of opportunities that were available for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. As a result, when I got to high school and college, I did not meet a lot of the requirements necessary to make me a competitive applicant to different programs. I was constantly rejected from different programs at hospitals and research labs. I was beginning to feel like, although I wanted it, pursuing a career in a science-related field was not for me. Then, I applied to the Rising STEM Scholars Program at DePaul, and everything changed.
It was at this time that I met Dr. Dorothy Kozlowski.
Without knowing it, Dr. Kozlowski completely changed my life. She gave me a chance when no one else would and took me under her wing to strengthen me as a scientist in progress. Because of her, I have developed confidence in myself as a scientist and as a person worthy of pursuing the career that I want. She has helped me develop the skills that I need to be successful in the field and has aided me in my career endeavors. She is patient with me and supportive of me. No words can explain how grateful I am for her.
At this moment, these are the four people that have had a large impact on my life and have shaped the person that I am today. However, there are many more who also taught me things that I am grateful for and will forever carry with me.
Furthermore, on my leadership journey, I have learned a lot about Louise de Marillac and have found that I resonate with her story. Louise experienced many struggles in her life, especially before she began her life as the dedicated Daughter of Charity that we know her as.
To begin, Louise was born out of wedlock. Although she had no control over this circumstance, it impacted her life greatly. Moreover, Louise never met her mother and was therefore seen as an illegitimate child by societal standards. Once her father, Louis de Marillac, passed away, Louise was sent to boarding school where she was tasked with making the decision of marrying or becoming a religious sister. From a very early age, Louise felt called to be a religious sister. Nevertheless, at the age of 21, Louise was rejected by the capuchin of the convent due to her familial background. Although Louise was rejected from becoming a sister at the convent, she never lost faith. She believed that God had something greater planned for her and continued to live her life as normal. Louise got married to Antoine de Gras on February 5, 1613, and had a baby named Michel about nine months later. All was going well until Louise found out that her son was suffering from a developmental disability. In addition, Louise’s husband Antoine fell ill. These unforeseen events that took place in Louise’s life caused her a lot of stress. She was trying her best to be a good wife and mother but struggled greatly. As a result, Louise found herself at an all-time low in her life.
Amidst the craziness that Louise was experiencing, she mostly struggled in finding her own sense of purpose. The hope that she had in one day figuring out what her role in the world would be kept her grounded in her faith. On the feast of Pentecost, on June 4, 1623, Louise asked God for help and guidance… he answered her prayer. On this day, Louise experienced a vision where she saw herself living in a community with sisters and serving the poor. This moment is known as her “Lumiere,” the moment that guided her in the hope of achieving her purpose. Once her husband passed away, Louise met Vincent de Paul and finally began to find a sense of balance in being a mother while also working to find her purpose. A couple of years later, Louise took a sacred vow and co-founded the Daughters of Charity with Vincent de Paul.
Louise’s Lumiere was fulfilled.
Furthermore, I have felt like there were many moments in my life where I was not supported, and doors closed on me. Like Louise, I experienced some circumstances that I had no control over that ultimately held me back. This was my parent’s divorce. Not only did this set me back emotionally, but it set me back financially because my mom could not afford to place me in programs that could have supported my interest in STEM. In addition, because I was placed in a private school outside of my neighborhood, I was denied access to resources available to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in my neighborhood. As previously mentioned, this resulted in my rejection from multiple STEM-related opportunities while I was in grade school and in high school. Nevertheless, I never lost hope and things fell into place for me when I least expected it. When Dr. Kozlowski came into my life, so many doors began to open for me. I have had many opportunities to do research at different institutions all over the city.
Louise always knew what she wanted for herself and for her life. However, there were many things that prevented her from achieving her goals. It wasn’t until she met Vincent de Paul that things began to change for her.
Dr. Kozlowski is my Vincent de Paul and has helped me get closer to achieving my goals more and more every day. She has continued to fuel my hope and confidence, being my guide and support as I make my way through college.
As I continue to pursue my career in medicine, I hope to be what Dr. Kozlowski is to me for someone that is experiencing the same things that I have on my journey to achieving my goals. I hope that I will one day make someone feel worthy and like they can do whatever they want to do and be whomever they want to be. This is how I will continue to live out my Vincentian values. I hope to empower people and help them live out their goals like Vincent de Paul did for Louise, and like Dr. Kozlowski has done for me.
