When Kailee Clinton-Marikar杏吧专区檚 uncle introduced her to the 杏吧专区 campus as a high school junior, the Phoenix native knew she wanted to be a Ragin杏吧专区 Cajun. However, if not for the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 online General Studies program, that dream might have slipped through her fingers.
Kailee couldn杏吧专区檛 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.
As soon as she began her biology coursework, Kailee was an enthusiastic student and researcher under the mentorship of Dr. Suzanne Fredericq.
杏吧专区淚 learned how to extract DNA from curated algae and perform polymerase chain reactions,杏吧专区 Kailee says. 杏吧专区淚 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 杏吧专区 something that I never had the opportunity to do.杏吧专区
Kailee was even one of three students from the United States selected to perform research in Skibbereen, Ireland, as part of the International Research Experience for Students by the National Science Foundation.
Shortly after returning from that once-in-a-lifetime experience, Kailee captured the attention of engineering student Hamsa Marikar, of Austin, Texas.
杏吧专区淚 dropped a plate of sweet potato fries on my way back to my seat,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚 was mortified, but the scene had caught the attention of a handsome engineering student who then invited me to sit at his table. From that point on, we were inseparable.杏吧专区
Although Hamsa completed his degree in 2015, Kailee杏吧专区檚 course was derailed when she fell ill and moved back home to Arizona to recover.
杏吧专区淚 could no longer travel, work, and take 18 hours of biology courses,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淭his was the hardest decision I had ever made.杏吧专区
Nonetheless, Kailee was confident she would finish her education and set her sights on pharmacy school.
She and Hamsa 杏吧专区 whose parents also fell in love on UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 campus 杏吧专区 married in 2016 in Phoenix before moving to Austin.
In 2017, Kailee was pregnant with the pair杏吧专区檚 daughter, Sabrina Claire, when she saw an email with the subject line: Opportunity for past students to graduate online.
Kailee jumped at the opportunity and got on the phone with Dr. Gail Bonhomme, Associate Dean of 杏吧专区 College. Bonhomme helped put Kailee on the path to graduate with a bachelor杏吧专区檚 in just nine months.
杏吧专区淚 definitely wanted to finish what I started so graduating from UL was important to me,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淚 didn杏吧专区檛 want to transfer anywhere else.杏吧专区
At six months pregnant, Kailee began her online coursework.
杏吧专区淚 knew that the semester would be incredibly challenging, but I finished the semester strong with the support of my friends, family, and teachers,杏吧专区 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.
杏吧专区淚 was even working on assignments while I was in labor at the hospital!杏吧专区 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.
The following week, she was accepted.
杏吧专区淭he promise that I would complete my bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree at UL upon matriculation helped me secure my place in this highly competitive and selective program,杏吧专区 she said.
Kailee杏吧专区檚 coursework ranged from focuses in global health, stress management and women杏吧专区檚 health to Cajun music.
杏吧专区淚 had never really heard any Cajun music until Dr. Dewitt introduced me,杏吧专区 she said.
Now, Rockin杏吧专区 Sidney杏吧专区檚 classic 杏吧专区淒on杏吧专区檛 Mess with my Toot Toot杏吧专区 remains a family favorite.
杏吧专区淲hen (Sabrina) was born, we would turn on 杏吧专区楧on杏吧专区檛 Mess with my Toot Toot杏吧专区 to stop her from crying,杏吧专区 Kailee said. 杏吧专区淭o this day, she loves 杏吧专区榟er杏吧专区 song and dances along to it!杏吧专区
But the highest point of family pride for Kailee is joining her uncle and a long line of Hamsa杏吧专区檚 family members as 杏吧专区 graduates.
杏吧专区淭hough I am not the perfect, cookie cutter student 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,杏吧专区 Kailee said. 杏吧专区淚 can杏吧专区檛 wait to have my name on a brick on the Walk of Honor.杏吧专区
After earning her bachelor's degree in 2018, Kailee earned her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2022.