From Sidelines to Science Labs: Charles’ Story

Charles will be heading to USC to study Biomedical Engineering—something he was drawn to after spending 400+ hours with his school’s sports medicine team, helping classmates recover from injuries. That experience showed him how rewarding it is to support others, and now he’s aiming for an MD/PhD to fight cancer with personalized treatment plans. With help from the SEFF Scholarship, he’s excited to jump into lab work, student clubs, and everything USC has to offer. Want to know how he spends his perfect day—or the surprising hobby that helps him unwind? Keep reading.

College: University of Southern California, Fall 2025, studying Biomedical Engineering

• What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM or a trade, and what excites you most about this path?

  I was inspired to pursue STEM through my school’s sports medicine team, where I have devoted over 400 hours to providing emergency response and physical therapy treatments to all athletes on campus. Without this program, many of the athletes wouldn’t have access to this type of sports related care, allowing me to help my teammates and classmates work through their injuries to get back to the sports they love. The team made me realize how fulfilling work can be when it helps those around you, so I excited to pursue a career that leads me to that same level of fulfillment.

• How do you see this scholarship helping you achieve your career goals, and what difference do you hope to make in your field?

  As I pursue an MD/PhD degree, I intend on researching and creating personalized treatment plans which battle cancer on the individual level. The Shared Energy Future Foundation Scholarship would give me the financial freedom to spend my time taking full advantage of my universities clubs and laboratories. I’ll have the opportunity to develop the skills necessary for success at the graduate level, specifically volunteering in the various oncology laboratories at my school to gain further exposure to the methods behind cancer research. Instead of worrying about finding ways to finance my studies, I will be able to fully devote myself to having the most complete educational experience possible. Looking forward, the scholarship will also allow me to enter graduate school with less of a debt burden weighing on my shoulders, giving me the opportunity to make decisions based on my end goal of joining the fight against cancer.

• Who has been your biggest supporter or role model throughout your education?

  My biggest supporter has been my father, always pushing fall in love with the process of learning.

• What are you most excited about as you begin your college or trade school journey?

  As I enter college, I am excited to meet an entire new set of people from all around the planet. These people will help shape my perspectives, giving me the opportunity to think on a global scale. I'll be exposed to and thoughts I never could have imagined.

• What’s one fun fact about you that people might not expect from someone pursuing a career in your field?

  A fun fact about me is that one of my favorite hobbies is crocheting. As someone who has never considered myself the “creative” type, learning to crochet has challenged me in ways which school and sport couldn’t. It has pushed me to learn through trial and error and become a way that I can decompress while also creating cute gifts for my friends and family. Although I am still learning new techniques, a hook and yarn is all I need for a relaxing evening.

• If you could instantly learn any skill before starting college or trade school, what would it be?

  If I could learn any skill before college it would be the art of cooking. As best I try, I can never fully master the perfect combination of flavors which define a spectacular home cooked meal. Learning to cook would give me a chance to re-create my childhood favorite foods, making my dorm feel a bit more like home.

• If you had an entire day to do whatever you wanted—no school or work—how would you spend it?

  Given a day to do anything, I would spend it on the beach with my friends and family. It would start with a morning jog on the bike path, followed by a day of activities and swimming with all my favorite people. In the evening, we would roast marshmallows over a fire pit and make s'mores as the sun sets.