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"Being
a minority makes
things harder for you
sometimes
but it is not an
excuse for not reaching
your goals. Take responsibility for your own success..."
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"Have a Dream and Make It
Happen!"
2001:Luz M. Calle, Ph.D.
In her speech, "Have a Dream and Make It Happen,"
Dr. Luz Calle relays a strong message to students, encouraging
them to overcome the obstacles that can easily hinder them
as they pursue a career in the health and bio-medical sciences.
"Being a minority makes things harder for you sometimes,
but it is certainly not an excuse for not reaching your goals,"
she emphatically states. And she should know!
A native of Medillin, Colombia, Luz Calle
fell in love with science as a child and decided then that
she wanted a career in that field. However, she grew up at
a time when successful women were not scientists or engineers
-- they were homemakers! She had few female role
models, yet she did not let that stand in her way of pursuing
her goals. She never questioned whether or not it was okay
to be a woman scientist. She simply did it.
But not before failing math and barely scraping
by in freshman chemistry in college. The successful chemistry
professor and NASA scientist urges students to "learn
from failure. Stay focused and be persistent in achieving
your goals." It seems Calle followed her own advice.
She graduated from the Universidad de Antiquioa with a B.S.
degree in 1971, an M.S. degree from Western Michigan University
in 1973, and a Ph.D. from Ohio University in 1983 -- all in
chemistry.
She often shares her life story with students,
hoping it will strengthen their motivation. Her self-assurance
and determination to achieve success makes her a primary role
model for students. |
