City Council’s Recog

City Council’s Recognition of Sharabyani Nadine Hale-Hautea @NadineHaleUSA

Prior to coming to America, Anaiz Sharabyani would sneak around the hospital where her mother worked as a midwife, catching glimpses of procedures and witnessing how patients were treated with empathy.

Sharabyani’s application for Chaffey’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Summer Research Opportunity Program was accepted, and she decided to intern at West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District as part of the program. Most community colleges do not offer a similar program. Graduate-level students apply to internships at this level and Chaffey’s students are working alongside them.

The program’s goal is to encourage students to obtain higher degrees and make it easier for them to transfer. Interns would be able to do so by being exposed to field research and going hands-on with projects. Although some interns are transferring to Berkeley, that level of performance is not a minimum for potential interns to succeed. To be eligible for these internships, candidates need to submit a STEM Summer Research Application with its cover sheet signed, a Personal Statement Form, a letter of recommendation from faculty, and unofficial transcripts. Thanks to Chaffey College Title III HSI STEM grant, each internship lasted eight weeks with pay.

On Oct. 2, Sharabyani attended the Rancho Cucamoga’s City Council meeting. Due to Sharabyani’s research, the evening’s agedna read “recognition of Chaffey College student.” Mayor L. Dennis Michael spoke words of acknowledgment in front of her parents, sitting near the front row in the audience of community members. Her findings earned her a sponsorship to participate in the upcoming Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) Meeting.

During an interview on Oct. 10, Sharabyani admits the first day interning for Dr. Steven Su was intimidating. Given a week to read 20 pages, there was an expectation to learn the content’s terminology and procedures. She recalled the classes she took, such as Biology 61, while studying the molecules in pesticides’ organic chemistry. Her studies, including Biology 62, provided her the advantage while attempting to understand the mosquitoes’ anatomy and balancing the terms she had yet to learn. Graduate level assistant Jennifer Thieme mentored her the first two weeks, but from then on Sharabyani worked predominantly alone. She continued to work with the expectation of producing graduate level papers.

Each year, the program grows in the number of students it partners with. She received advice from the pre-med faculty advisor, her professors, then her mentor at MVCAC, who encouraged her. She showed up to classes, studied hard, and now has a second internship lined up at a hospital.

“Try to make connections with people...who will convince you that you are able to do important things in life and [get] involved with professors, classmates, and faculty,” she said. Board members honor Ainaz Sharabyani. Photos by Nadine Hale-Hautea.

Mayor L. Dennis Michael honors Sharabyani.

photos by: Raylene Camerano Josh Gutierrez Isaiah Goltara Tiffany Larrabee

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