Below are bios and thank you notes from some of the recipients of Class of 1985 grants under our Bridges to Healthcare initiative. For more about the program, visit our Class Projects page.
Gaia Yun ’25
Thank you so much for your support with the Bridges to Health Professions Grant! The fund is an incredible opportunity that will allow me to prepare for the MCAT this winter term without financial burden. As a low-income student, I have never felt more empowered and encouraged by the Dartmouth community in pursuing my dreams. This fund is invaluable in my path to becoming a doctor who advocates for the health of those who need it most. I am motivated to work harder than ever, with a deep sense of gratitude throughout the remainder of my pre-health journey.
A little about me: I am a senior majoring in biology (concentration in ecology) and minoring in studio art from Mukilteo, Washington. On campus, I am involved in Dartmouth Emergency Medical Services, research in Dr. Terri Lewinson’s community health lab as a Health Equity Scholar, and the Dartmouth Climate Health Alliance club. While at Dartmouth, I have been incredibly lucky for transformative experiences such as studying ecology abroad in Costa Rica, traveling to Berlin for a three-week course on Jewish history, and being funded to conduct research in both wet-lab and quantitative biology settings. One highlight of my college experience has been the Undergraduate Clinical Scholars Program at University of Pennsylvania Medicine, a summer program that fostered my interest in clinical research and epidemiology. I now hope to become a physician who conducts population-based studies and works to advance public health. In my free time, I love creative endeavors such as journaling, listening to music, drawing cartoons for the Dartmouth newspaper, and reading graphic novels!
Emilee Kain ’25
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for selecting me as a recipient of the Class of ’85 Bridges to Health Professions Grant. Your generosity is helping to make my dream of attending medical school a reality, and I am deeply appreciative of your support in alleviating some of the financial barriers along this path.
I grew up in the Chicago area in a big family as the oldest of five siblings. I am also the first in my family to attend college. I have dreamed of being a doctor for as long as I can remember, as you can see in this photo of my mom and me! 
My journey to medicine is driven by a passion for health equity and a desire to make healthcare more accessible and inclusive for underserved populations. I am an Anthropology major on the Pre-Med Track because I am interested in combining the hard sciences with a sociocultural approach to healthcare. Currently, I am writing a senior honors thesis that investigates C-section rates in the American South, using a combination of quantitative analysis and cultural anthropology to explore the factors contributing to maternal health disparities.
Beyond academics, I work as an EMT for Dartmouth EMS and as an Ophthalmologic Technician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. I am also a co-director for the Pre-Med Mentor Program, a member of the 2025 cohort for the Eric Eichler ‘57 Fellowship for Healthcare Leaders, a board member of the Student and Presidential Committee on Sexual Assault, and the Sisterhood Chair of Sigma Delta sorority. This past summer, I was a Dickey Global Health Fellow, where I had the opportunity to research antimicrobial resistance strategies in Kosovo and other middle-income countries. My involvement on campus is driven by a sincere love for the Dartmouth community and a passion for bridging clinical care with public health and global health research.
The Class of ’85 Bridges to Health Professions Grant is an invaluable resource in helping me prepare for the MCAT and take the next steps toward my goal of becoming a physician. You are the embodiment of the generosity and support that I have been blessed with since the day I became a Dartmouth student. Thank you for believing in students like me– your support inspires me to pursue my dreams with determination and to one day give back to future students in the same way.
Maryanne Barasa ’25
I am writing with immense happiness to express my sincere gratitude for your generous grant donation of $1500, which will greatly assist me in the upcoming application cycle. I was thrilled to learn that I have been selected as a recipient of the Class of ’85 Bridges to Health Professions Grant, and I deeply appreciate your support.
I am currently a senior majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Cell Biology and minoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track. On campus, as an E.E. Just fellow, I am heavily involved in research as a member of the Hill lab, where we have just published our first paper based on the work I have contributed to over the last two years. Outside of school, I volunteer at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center under the Physical Therapy department, working with long-term patients to help them with mobility while providing emotional support as a fitness friend.
I aspire to become a physician-scientist, specifically a neurologist, and to establish a lab to further research in the interdisciplinary field of cellular and molecular neurobiology. Thanks to your generous donation, I will be able to mitigate the costs of MCAT study and preparation, bringing me one step closer to achieving my goals.
Thank you again for your generosity and support.
Nour-Maria Bouzid ’25
I sincerely thank the Class of ’85 for eliminating the barrier to the MCAT preparation process. It was incredibly stressful having to figure out how many jobs I would have to maintain while studying for the MCAT and doing research, but now with this funding, I can focus more time on the actual studying rather than worrying about the financial aspect. I am a Questbridge student so this funding is life-changing for me, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!
I am currently a senior at Dartmouth College majoring in human biology with a minor in French. During my free time, I enjoy reading, rollerblading, baking, and writing poetry! I was born in Annaba, Algeria, and grew up there up until 2015, which is when I moved to Virginia. A fun fact about me is that I speak four languages (Arabic, French, English, and Tamazight). I am hoping to pursue an MD after my undergraduate years, and I am at the present moment interested in surgery as a general specialty