Scholarship recipient fulfills childhood dream

May 15, 2023

“My scholarships were scholastic based, but as a first-generation student, these gifts meant a lot. Scholarships showed me that when I apply myself and I reach for my dreams, there are people out there who believe in me and are willing to invest in me.” 

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After an 11-year journey and 20-hour car ride, Creighton Distance Pathway student and scholarship recipient Diana Rojas-Chavez fulfilled her dream of earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree on May 11. 

“My scholarships were scholastic based, but as a first-generation student, these gifts meant a lot,” she said. “Scholarships showed me that when I apply myself and I reach for my dreams, there are people out there who believe in me and are willing to invest in me.” 

Chavez

 
Rojas-Chavez began her academic journey toward pharmacy when she enrolled at California State University San Marcos in 2012 as a biotechnology major, but her interests began much earlier. Born to Mexican immigrants in San Diego, her experiences as a first-generation citizen evoked within her a passion for helping others through healthcare. 
 
“My mother is the hardest worker I know,” said Rojas-Chavez. “She worked three jobs to support me and my brothers. There was food and home insecurity, but she never gave up. We were all teaching each other how to live and assimilate. At the time, it was definitely a struggle, but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
 
As a grade-school English as a Second Language student, Rojas-Chavez would often translate for her parents. Translating for the pharmacists when she or her brothers were sick had a powerful impact.
 
“There were a lot of terms I couldn’t grasp, but as I tried to understand, it gave me the passion for healthcare and for helping those who need it most,” she said. “In the community I lived in, people often feared seeking resources. I saw the pharmacist as the most accessible provider, and it made me want to be that person.” 
 
As a pharmacy student at Creighton, Rojas-Chavez was a STEM outreach mentor in local high schools. She also conducted research into whether pharmacy schools are keeping up with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. 
 
“Diversity is a big passion of mine, and I advocate for them any chance I get. The best thing I have done to give back is to help instill within young children the possibilities.”
 
Nearly all Creighton students rely on scholarships or financial aid. Scholarships create opportunities, particularly for first-generations students, and ensure that they can experience a Jesuit education, no matter their circumstances. 
 
“Donors have an immense impact, not just for students like me, but for the communities that we come from,” said Rojas-Chavez. “If others can see someone like me who struggled – I say that as past tense – then they can see what is possible. That ripple effect is everlasting and so important. These gifts go beyond one student and that makes a world of difference.”
 
Rojas-Chavez has been accepted for her post-graduate year into the pharmacy residency program at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Her goal is to become a clinical pharmacist and earn her designation as a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist. 
 
“It’s a big switch from being a student to being a pharmacist, that responsibly weighs on your moral compass,” she said. “Creighton’s program was a perfect fit for my military family and has prepared me for the transition. I’m so grateful to be able to do what I want: to manage patients and help veterans who have served our country.”

Diana Rojas Chavez

 
Rojas-Chavez traveled with her husband, William, and their three young children from Fort Bragg, North Carolina – where William is on active duty – to Creighton’s campus for the 2023 hooding and commencement ceremony. 
 
“Embracing my family after the hooding ceremony was surreal. My family has been my rock. William has walked with me while serving our country and finishing his own degree. He’s a beautiful soul.”