Kayla Nguyen is a Vietnamese American first-generation college student who was raised in a single-parent, low-income household. Her mother’s rheumatoid arthritis—a disease that has no known cure—inspired her to major in biotechnology at CSU San Marcos.

Kayla’s internship with the Bridges to Stem Cell Research Program through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine sparked her passion for research and patient advocacy. As an ambassador for Americans for Cures and a companion volunteer for Alzheimer’s San Diego, she has learned how to empathize with and advocate for patients who have various diseases and illnesses. Her interest in teaching motivated her to become a learning assistant in physics for undergraduate biological science majors and, previously, for middle school students through the CSU San Marcos Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education.

Kayla plans to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience or immunology after completing her undergraduate degree.