Spotlight: Suhitha Uppalapati
(Mentee Alumni Team)
1. Uh...who Are You?
My name is Suhitha (or Sue, for short!) and I currently work as a Regulatory Specialist at a medical device company.
2. What Were You Before Who You Are Now?
I lived in San Jose, CA before I went to UC Riverside to study Biology and Medical Anthropology. Some of my interests in college included public health and healthcare technology, and I’ve done a few research internships before I found my current job at a biomedical company! It took a lot of networking and internet searching to apply some of these interests into a job—but it all led to a place where I love my job :)
3. What Do You Think Was the Biggest Turning Point in Your Life?
One of the bigger turning points in my life was deciding not to pursue medical school. I always had a passion for helping people in the healthcare field, but taking different elective classes in college and meeting like-minded people in clubs I joined exposed me to so many other ideas. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, and there were many times that I had doubts. But letting go of some of these fears eventually showed me how to be more flexible and confident as I looked for a new career path.
4. What Do You Wish You Could Tell Yourself When You Graduated High School?
You. Do. Not. Have. To. Have. Everything. Figured. Out.
5. What Would You Have Told Yourself Something at the Beginning of College?
Things may get overwhelming at times, and you are going to make mistakes. Recognize that you are only HUMAN. Think positively because overcoming any fear of making mistakes will show you your resilience.
6. What About at the End of College?
Two things: 1. Your brain is a muscle—keep using it!! and 2. For the first time in your life, you and your peers are about to go in different directions and/or at different speeds. Understand that this okay, and that you are your own individual. Focus instead on living a life with ambition, and have trust that things will set in place when the time is right. I heard a quote once by Thomas Jefferson: “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”—fast-forward to 5 years since graduating college and I totally believe that to be true.