Congratulations to Teame and Derya, Vertex’s New Senior Science Teachers! As they prepare to hit the books for their first year at the University of Massachusetts, let us introduce you to these two talented students who have each been selected to receive a four-year, full scholarship to pursue a STEM-related course of study.
Derya Balata, future dentist
Derya was born and raised in Boston, while her family came from Kurdistan. She lives in Dorchester and graduated from the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. Growing up, she was always interested in science and biology – the study of life. On the same subject : Amazon’s growth increases as core retail businesses face macro challenges. “I’m always thinking about how things are created and I’m eager to learn more about how things are created,” Derya said. At first she thought she wanted to be a doctor but now she is thinking more about dentistry. Either way, her goal is to help people and to “be around people and know I’m helping them.”
She took her first biology class in high school and first learned about Vertex and the Learning Lab on a field trip her freshman year. She loves the company and knows she will be back. “I told myself I’ll come back. I’ll work here. And when I put my mind to something – I want to do it.” Her persistence paid off, and she joined the Bridge-to-STEM Workforce last summer last year, and returns this summer as a high school senior AND one of the recipients of two Vertex Science Leaders scholarships.
When she found out that she was receiving this support, she was very surprised. Who was the first person she told the story to? Her mother. It is a matter of pride for her mother as her two oldest children will go to college and receive scholarships. Derya’s older brother is studying engineering and will be a junior at Wentworth this fall. It was a proud moment for Derya as well, being one of the first in her family to go to college. She is eager to show her parents that the sacrifice they made – moving from their home country to a new and unknown country – was worth it.
Teame Araya, future doctor
As a college student, Derya enjoys exploring all the biology department has to offer, networking, learning more about the medical field, and continuing to grow as a young professional. This may interest you : WAC announces academic awards for all WACs for sports, freshmen and transfers in the spring of 2022. She is also looking forward to joining the Association of Professional Engineers.
Teame grew up in Eritrea and moved to Boston in late 2018 through a refugee agency (which took him from Eritrea to Sudan and Niger before coming to the United States). He attended Boston International High School and graduated as valedictorian of his class. His favorite STEM subjects are biology and math, and he hopes to become a doctor in the future. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to go into medicine,” Teame said. “I want to be a doctor, because where I grew up in Eritrea, especially in the countryside, it is very difficult to get access to health. So that gave me the motivation to be in the medical field to do my job, even if I can’t fix anything.” He will be the first person in his family to go to university.
What is the Vertex Science Leaders Scholarship?
Teame was a summer intern last year in the Learning Lab, thanks in part to meeting Chiruza Muhimuzi, one of the recipients of the Vertex Science Leaders Scholarship for 2021. Chiruza encouraged him to apply for both last year’s internship and scholarship at Vertex! Teame returned to the Learning Lab on his own this year and was encouraged to be with scientists and other knowledgeable Vertexians. To see also : The Princeton Arts Council is accepting vendor applications for the annual Goose Outdoor Art Market Dip. Between being in the office and working with his manager and mentor, he said, “it’s really exciting, and I feel like I can achieve my goals. He gave me confidence in myself and my path.”
As he enters UMass, he looks forward to making new friends, studying and working in the lab, joining new clubs, and participating in community service projects. One thing he took away from this summer at Vertex was the advice to be authentic. In the past, he tried to hide a part of himself because he did not want to stand as a refugee. He felt empowered by others to “be yourself – that’s what makes you interesting. That’s why a lot of people will try to invest in you.” He hopes to go to college and just be himself.
The Vertex Master of Science Scholarship was established in 2014 and is an important part of Vertex’s global STEAM education program and $50M commitment to STEAM education. Through this program, Vertex helps students pursue careers in STEM while also aiming to break down barriers and create economic change for people who are traditionally underrepresented in the biomedical field.
