Carolina Vela is pursuing a Master of Public Health with an interest in policy at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville, Texas. She also holds a Bachelor of Science from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where she majored in biology. She was the recipient of the Alliance Merck Ciencia Scholarship and studied abroad in Australia. Vela recently interned at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, where she gained valuable laboratory experience. She plans to return to the NIH after completing her graduate studies. In the future, she hopes to attend dental school and then serve her community by incorporating her knowledge of dentistry and public health policy.