Cynthia Sun (’22) has always loved science and her dream of being a doctor has been her northern star, guiding every decision she has made. Now, about to complete her Grade 11 year at QMS, she is looking to the future and taking big steps to reach her goals.
For this Royal, science — specifically biology, is fun so she wanted to take part in a summer university science camp. “Harvard, Penn State, Cornell and Johns Hopkins University are four of the top universities in the world,” she explains. “By taking part in a university level summer program, I can sample the learning environment that they each offer before I begin applying for an undergrad program.”
It’s not often you hear that COVID has an upside, yet it is in Cynthia’s case. “Because of COVID, these camps are all virtual, so instead of one camp, I can do two!” she says. “I applied for all four universities and was granted admittance. The courses they offered, such as anatomy, psychology and diseases are so timely. Because of COVID, I’m curious about immunology and as these are seven-week foundational courses for university, I can’t wait for the challenge and learn more about the subjects.”
This passionate scholar is currently working on a review paper with Harvard Scholar, Kevin Zhao, on gene adding and DNA manipulation. She hopes that her paper will one day be published in a science journal, kick-starting her medical career.
To balance her academics, Cynthia enjoys playing basketball and riding. This proud member of the Equestrian Team carves out time in her timetable each week to ride and can be seen at the Shirley Burr Equestrian Centre almost daily. “The equestrian part of my life keeps me relaxed and able to focus more on my school work.”
As she sets her sights on her Grade 12 year, she is formulating post-secondary plans with a clear sense of purpose. “My dream is to attend Cornell University for my undergrad studies, as I want that experience to be fun, engaging and welcoming. Then I plan to attend either Harvard or Johns Hopkins for my Masters and PhD.”
