Four years ago, Susan Ramirez brought with her to SUNY Old Westbury a childhood dream to help cure cancer.
But her studies have taken her further than the biology labs and conference stages she’s graced or the medical journals that will soon house her research.
The Brentwood native has been named a recipient of this year’s SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, which recognizes academic and extracurricular achievements.
“I was very surprised,” Ramirez said. “I was up against some very talented and super smart students, and of course I was very grateful and blessed to win an award like that.”
Ramirez was one of 274 students throughout the SUNY system to receive the award, which was created in 1997.
Students are nominated for the honor by faculty and administrators at their schools and put through several rounds of screening before final recommendations are made to the chancellor.
“Students honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence truly embody the power of SUNY,” said Nancy L. Zimpher, chancellor of the SUNY schools. “As proven leaders and role models, scholar athletes, creative artists and civic volunteers, each student is recognized not just for academic achievement, but also for the profound impact they have on college campuses and local communities across New York State.”
Ramirez said she did not know anything about the award until she was nominated for it by Manya Dhar-Mascareno, an Old Westbury professor and researcher.
After taking Dhar-Mascareno’s cancer cell biology class, Ramirez began working for her as a research assistant to test the reactions of prostate cancer cells to varying concentrations of the protein Hexim1.
“I’ve always felt deep compassion for people, especially when they’re hurting, and helping people understand what happens with cancer or avoid or cure cancer has always been a dream for me,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez has so far presented her findings at the Annual biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students and has co-authored a paper for inclusion in the journal Molecular Cancer Research.
“To me, making a dent in the field is pretty exciting,” she said.
Ramirez, who graduates in May, plans to take a year off from school to prepare applications for medical school in hopes of becoming a pediatrician.
After commencement, Ramirez said she’d like to attend a two-week missionary trip with her church, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, to either Nigeria or Guyana.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to practice medicine abroad someday,” she said.
Ramirez said she has her sights set on a Christian ministry based in Uganda called Watoto, which provides medical and educational services for children.
“They take in children who’ve been abandoned or whose parents have died of HIV or have been recruited to war. They’re given a home and the opportunity to become professionals or advance further and help their country,” she said. “That’s my dream.”
