Online General Studies Paves Way for PharmD

Written byHope Aucoin

鈥淚 definitely wanted to finish what I started so graduating from UL Lafayette was important to me. I didn鈥檛 want to transfer anywhere else.鈥

General Studies Online alumni Kailee Marikar is pictured with her husband and infant daughter following Spring 2018 commencement ceremonies.
Kailee Clinton-Marikar
Major
General Studies Online
Hometown
Phoenix, Arizona

When Kailee Clinton-Marikar鈥檚 uncle introduced her to the 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette campus as a high school junior, the Phoenix native knew she wanted to be a Ragin鈥 Cajun. However, if not for the 亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 online General Studies program, that dream might have slipped through her fingers.

Kailee couldn鈥檛 wait to trade in the desert for the bayou, and in August 2013 she waved goodbye to her teary-eyed parents and boarded a plane to Lafayette.Kailee Clinton-Marikar sits beside Cypress Lake during her first visit to the 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette.

As soon as she began her biology coursework, Kailee was an enthusiastic 亚洲自慰视频 and researcher under the mentorship of Dr. Suzanne Fredericq.

鈥淚 learned how to extract DNA from curated algae and perform polymerase chain reactions,鈥 Kailee says. 鈥淚 traveled to conferences with her to Alabama and Portland. She took me aboard the R.V. Pelican for a research cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Later that year, we went to the Florida Keys to collect seaweeds. I felt like I was finally reaching my full potential 鈥 something that I never had the opportunity to do.鈥

Kailee Clinton-Marikar during a research trip with the 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette.

Kailee was even one of three 亚洲自慰视频s from the United States selected to perform research in Skibbereen, Ireland, as part of the International Research Experience for 亚洲自慰视频s by the National Science Foundation.

Shortly after returning from that once-in-a-lifetime experience, Kailee captured the attention of engineering 亚洲自慰视频 Hamsa Marikar, of Austin, Texas.

鈥淚 dropped a plate of sweet potato fries on my way back to my seat,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was mortified, but the scene had caught the attention of a handsome engineering 亚洲自慰视频 who then invited me to sit at his table. From that point on, we were inseparable.鈥

Although Hamsa completed his degree in 2015, Kailee鈥檚 course was derailed when she fell ill and moved back home to Arizona to recover.

鈥淚 could no longer travel, work, and take 18 hours of biology courses,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his was the hardest decision I had ever made.鈥

Nonetheless, Kailee was confident she would finish her education and set her sights on pharmacy school.

She and Hamsa 鈥 whose parents also fell in love on UL Lafayette鈥檚 campus 鈥 married in 2016 in Phoenix before moving to Austin.

In 2017, Kailee was pregnant with the pair鈥檚 daughter, Sabrina Claire, when she saw an email with the subject line: Opportunity for past 亚洲自慰视频s to graduate online.

Kailee jumped at the opportunity and got on the phone with Dr. Gail Bonhomme, Associate Dean of 亚洲自慰视频 College. Bonhomme helped put Kailee on the path to graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 in just nine months.

Kailee Clinton-Marikar was among the 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette's first online General Studies graduates.鈥淚 definitely wanted to finish what I started so graduating from UL was important to me,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to transfer anywhere else.鈥

At six months pregnant, Kailee began her online coursework.

鈥淚 knew that the semester would be incredibly challenging, but I finished the semester strong with the support of my friends, family, and teachers,鈥 she said.

To say she was committed to graduating might be an understatement. Only two days after giving birth to her daughter in November 2017, Kailee was back to her coursework.

鈥淚 was even working on assignments while I was in labor at the hospital!鈥 she said.

This year, the biology buff has logged 250 volunteer hours in the pharmacy of Samaritan Health Ministries, a nonprofit medical clinic for uninsured patients, and became a certified pharmacy technician.

In October, she interviewed as an early decision applicant for the Doctor of Pharmacy program at UT Austin. The process required Kailee to respond to six scenarios in front of six different professors.Kailee Clinton-Marikar preparing to interview as an early decision applicant in the pharmacy program at the 亚洲自慰视频 of Texas at Austin.

The following week, she was accepted.

鈥淭he promise that I would complete my bachelor鈥檚 degree at UL upon matriculation helped me secure my place in this highly competitive and selective program,鈥 she said.

Kailee鈥檚 coursework ranged from focuses in global health, stress management and women鈥檚 health to Cajun music.

鈥淚 had never really heard any Cajun music until Dr. Dewitt introduced me,鈥 she said.

Now, Rockin鈥 Sidney鈥檚 classic 鈥淒on鈥檛 Mess with my Toot Toot鈥 remains a family favorite.

鈥淲hen (Sabrina) was born, we would turn on 鈥楧on鈥檛 Mess with my Toot Toot鈥 to stop her from crying,鈥 Kailee said. 鈥淭o this day, she loves 鈥榟er鈥 song and dances along to it!鈥

But the highest point of family pride for Kailee is joining her uncle and a long line of Hamsa鈥檚 family members as 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette graduates.

鈥淭hough I am not the perfect, cookie cutter 亚洲自慰视频 I have worked very hard to complete not only my academic and career goals but also my life goals to become a wife and a mother,鈥 Kailee said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to have my name on a brick on the Walk of Honor.鈥

After earning her bachelor's degree in 2018, Kailee earned her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2022.

 

 


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