Nyah Laureta: The Science of Inspiration

Nyah Laureta is humbly aware of the responsibility she carries being an inspiration for her younger brother and family members to pursue higher education. Supported by her loving parents and doting brother, she is motivated and driven to excel inside and outside the classroom. Just like her mother – who received her bachelor of science in nursing in the Philippines – Laureta is also pursuing higher education in the medical field.

Because she is the first person in her family to attend college in the U.S., Laureta was unsure of resources available to her or where to start. With little to no guidance, she took all of the necessary steps to complete her associate’s degree in the Washington community college system through the Running Start program, and then transferred to UW Tacoma in 2020. She noticed that although the classroom sizes were similar to those at her 2-year college, UW Tacoma made her feel welcomed. “I was afraid I was going to feel secluded again, but UW Tacoma was so different,” she said. “I feel like I belong here.”

Laureta’s current priority is to graduate in Spring 2023 with her B.S. degree in biomedical sciences. After graduation, she plans to get clinical experience as a research coordinator while also preparing to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) in March 2024. Laureta plans to volunteer at a local health care clinic, as her dream is one day to become a physician in Washington state. “I want to work in pediatrics, family medicine or internal medicine”, she said.

While serving as the president of UW Tacoma’s Pre-Medical Club, a registered student organization, Laureta worked in a research lab with Dr. Sarah Alaei, an assistant professor of microbiology. She studied the effects of environmental toxins on the microbiome and physiology of aquatic snails in the Puget Sound area. Laureta was a recipient of a 2023 Mary Gates Research Scholarship, competitively awarded to support UW undergraduate students who are engaged with research guided by faculty.

Last summer, Laureta served as an instructor in UW Tacoma’s Math-Science-Leadership program. She taught microbiology, specifically antibiotic resistance in soils, to local ninth- and tenth-grade students.

Laureta is a role model for her 10-year-old brother and younger cousins, encouraging them to go to college one day. “I now have the wisdom and knowledge to fulfill my dreams through the mentorship I received at UW Tacoma,” she said. 

In acknowledgement of the impact she has made on campus, Laureta received multiple nominations and was ultimately selected to be a part of the Husky 100, an honor that recognizes 100 undergraduate and graduate students from all three UW campuses in all areas of study who are making the most of their time at UW.

Like many students on the Tacoma campus, she is so focused on serving others that she never stopped to look at her own accomplishments. She feels grateful to be recognized for her hard work. “I can show other first-generation students that there are opportunities like this out there and they are deserving of them,” said Laureta.