SCHOLAR PROFILE
Santiago Pedraza Novak | Class of 2023
Honorable Marianne Bianca Bowler '67 and Hon. Paul William Garber Award for Excellence
Enriching. Welcoming. Home. These are the words scholarship recipient Santiago Pedraza Novak '23 uses to describe Regis. As an international student from Bogotá, Colombia, a sense of community and belonging have always been important to him.
"In my culture, it is very common to get together and celebrate the little things in life," Novak says. "That happiness, folklore, and joy is something I was fortunate enough to have found at Regis."
He reminds himself that every day is a chance for him to help people and get involved in the community. "I want to make an impact—at Regis and beyond,” he says.
In addition to his leadership roles—captain of the men's soccer team, senior resident assistant, tour guide, orientation leader coordinator, and SAAC president—Novak is making an impact in the classroom.
“My scholarship motivates me to make the most of this opportunity and achieve my academic goals to make my donor proud,” says Novak.
As a biology major on a pre-medical track with a minor in lab operations management, Novak was one of six students chosen to participate in an innovative research study on the detection of ovarian cancer with Associate Professor of STEM Shannon Hogan, PhD.
“Being able to say I have firsthand experience in a lab doing such important research is huge,” says Novak. “This type of work is so rare for undergraduate students, and I know it will give me an advantage when I start applying for graduate school and jobs.”
Novak looks forward to crossing the stage at Commencement 2023 and hopes to obtain a research position at a biotech company and eventually pursue his master's degree in biotechnology.
“I never thought I would be doing the work I am doing right now—and as a teaching
assistant, I can share my research and findings with other students as well. There are so many opportunities here to help me grow personally and academically, and I am forever grateful that my scholarship opened the doors to Regis.”
Read the Spirit of Giving: Report on Philanthropy [2021-2022]