“
I want to spark an interest in
STEM in future generations of Indigenous scholars.
4
”
DOMINIQUE PABLITO
applied for 15 scholarships and was awarded
Dominique used targeted photoactivatable
BS’20, Chemistry - Dominque Pablito grew
12, including the Larry H. Miller Enrichment
multi-inhibitor liposomes to induce site-spe-
up in the small town of Aneth, Utah, on the
Scholarship—a full ride.
cific cell damage in various cancer cells.
Navajo Nation, and in New Mexico on the
Zuni Reservation. She lived in a four-bedroom
Pablito was not prepared for college aca-
cancer and molecular biology developed,”
house with 13 family members, sharing a bed-
demics and sought help from tutors, profes-
said Pablito. “That internship taught me how
room with her mother and brother, and often
sors, and TAs.
to effectively present scientific data and how
visited relatives for extended stays.
important community can be for the success
YouTube,” said Pablito. “College retention rates
of Native American students.”
English, Pablito learned the Zuni and Navajo
for indigenous students are exceptionally low,
languages. Pablito said her father, an alco-
so instead of going home for the summer, I
childhood experience with the Indian Health
holic, came in and out of her life.
sought out research internships and difficult
Service. “Many of my elders distrusted going
coursework to keep busy.”
to doctors because most health care provid-
courses limited in reservation schools, Pablito
Academics were not her only challenge. “I
ers are white,” said Pablito. “My great-grandfa-
convinced her family to move. “We ran out of
started college at 15 and by age 16 I had no par-
thers’ illnesses could have been treated much
gas in Saint George, Utah, where I registered
ents,” said Pablito. “My mother was abusive and
better had they visited a doctor sooner. I will
for high school even though my family was
we ceased contact. At 17, I was diagnosed with
use my medical training to improve the care
unable to find housing,” said Pablito. “During
an adrenal tumor, which pushed my strength to
of elders on my reservation by integrating
my first quarter at my new school, I slept in a
its limits. I never felt more alone in my life.”
culture, language and medicine.”
2008 Nissan Xterra with my mother, brother
and grandmother while I earned straight A’s,
I participated in the PathMaker Research
medicine, Pablito plans to earn a doctoral
took college courses at Dixie State University
Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute,
degree in cancer biology and eventually
and competed in varsity cross country.”
where I used biochemistry to investigate
open a lab on the Zuni Pueblo. “I want to
DNA damage and repair in cancer cells,” said
spark an interest in STEM in future genera-
from high school in three years, racking up
Pablito. “Dr. Srividya Bhaskara guided me
tions of Indigenous scholars,” said Pablito. “I
honors and college credits.
through the world of research, helping me
want to give them advantages I never had.”
earn many awards and grants.”
- by D.J. Pollard, American Indian Science and
GPA, having taken college courses at night
Engineering Society (AISES)
and with exceptional ACT and SAT scores. I
School and Massachusetts General Hospital,
Because her grandparents did not speak
With access to math and science
Pablito achieved her goal of graduating
“I graduated at 15 with an excellent
Despite her hard work in high school,
“I spent late nights watching tutorials on
“I decided to major in chemistry when
During an internship at Harvard Medical
“That’s where my research interest in
Her interest in medicine stems from her
In addition to earning an MD in family