CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Kyra Kaiser ’23, ’25 began her Islander journey long before college. As a student at Flour Bluff High School, she took part in the university’s dual-credit program — stepping onto campus early and laying the groundwork for an academic path that would ultimately earn her recognition as the Summer 2025 Outstanding Islander Graduate for the College of Science.

在2023年获得生物医学科学学士学位后，Kaiser立即进入了TAMU-CC的化学硕士课程。 她在一生中最具挑战性的时期之一开始了她的研究生学习。 她的母亲在2022年底被诊断出患有1期HER2+乳腺癌，她的家人仍在处理治疗带来的情感和经济影响。 她的母亲是一名教师，她继续通过化疗、手术和放疗来养家糊口，凯泽在当地一家急诊室做兼职医疗记录员，以帮助支付费用和学费。

“This period of our lives taught me to find positivity and resilience in difficult circumstances,” Kaiser said.

在严格的研究生学习与工作和照顾之间取得平衡是件令人筋疲力尽的事，而且很快就发现，她的工作限制了她投入自己喜欢的研究的时间。 意识到压力后，她的研究生导师介入并帮助她获得了一份研究助理奖学金。 这种支持，再加上理学院的暑期奖学金，给了凯泽完成论文、活跃在实验室、指导本科生回馈研究小组所需的稳定。

“In my experience as a research student, I have mentored four undergraduates and trained five other students in instrumentation and essential research skills,” Kaiser said. “Through our research group, we were able to volunteer at many community events where young students and other attendees had access to STEM demonstrations, lab tours, and presentations where they could gain an interest in pursuing science.”

Kaiser’s educational success can be directly traced to the mentorship of Dr. Ioana Emilia Pavel, Professor of Chemistry, whose influence extended far beyond the laboratory. Under Pavel’s guidance, Kaiser’s initial interest in acquiring lab experience for medical school evolved into a genuine passion for chemistry and public health.

“Through her mentorship, I became a true scientist,” Kaiser said. “The time I spent learning from her was the most influential on my growth and outcomes, both personally and professionally.”

Under Pavel’s mentorship, Kaiser became lead or co-author on four peer-reviewed publications, including an Editor’s Choice article in “Antibiotics,” which garnered thousands of views and 40+ citations. 她在超过10个国内和国际学术会议上展示了她的工作，包括在美国化学学会会议和莱斯大学墨西哥湾沿岸本科生研究研讨会上的受邀演讲。 她的努力获得了许多校园奖项，包括研究生口头报告第二名和2025年学生创新、研究和创意活动研讨会最佳整体化学口头报告。

“Kyra has proven herself as an independent research scientist and caring, successful mentor,” Pavel said. “Her ability to excel academically while leading impactful research and supporting others through mentorship and personal adversity proves her dedication as a well-rounded student.”

对凯泽来说，学费支持为她的梦想奠定了基础。 她获得了各种奖学金，包括机构总统奖学金、Janice Freeman博士和Joyce Freeman博士生物学奖学金、John W. Boatwright纪念奖学金捐赠基金和Louis Stokes少数民族参与联盟年度奖学金。 在这种支持下，凯撒得以在韦尔奇基金会的资助和学生研究竞赛的奖金的支持下进行实验。

“None of this would have been possible without financial aid,” Kaiser said. “It gave me time to grow, to focus, and to believe in the future I was working toward.”

Kaiser获得了TAMU-CC的本科和研究生学位，GPA达到了完美的4.0。 今年秋天，她将前往山姆休斯顿州立大学骨科医学院学习医学，并计划在科珀斯克里斯蒂或类似的医疗服务不足的社区实习。

“My time here has been full of changes and developments over the past six years,” Kaiser said. “However, one of the most important changes was a shift in how I handle and overcome challenges and failures, which has shaped me to become a more effective health care provider.”