Vincent Aguilar

Self-doubt and a fear of higher education were daunting hurdles that Vincent faced when he graduated from high school in 2005. Overcoming them proved to be among his proudest achievements. At age 18, with little direction from the adults in his life, he had the clear-minded foresight to pursue a path in the military, a decision that would provide him with many opportunities to build on his resilience and capabilities, and his determination and drive.

Raised in poverty in a chaotic household affected by physically and emotionally distant parents, uncertain public assistance, gang influence and the loss of family members to substance abuse, Vincent says, “I was desperate for mentors. In high school I had a bleak outlook on life because I had very few positive examples to draw from. Fortunately, I joined the Marine Corps, where I learned from many inspiring leaders.” Vincent served for 10 years and was recognized with multiple awards and honors, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for training over 22,800 recruits, mentoring 24 peer drill instructors and inspiring those in his charge.

In 2016, Vincent transitioned out of the Marines and into school in pursuit of a career in medicine. He completed a two-year associate degree in community college with honors and is now a full-time, 4.0-GPA student at UC San Diego. He’s also a husband, the father of three, and a veteran with a traumatic brain injury. “Many of the effects from my injury have dissipated, but I still experience migraines, decreased ability to focus and vertigo.” His military service benefits and his wife’s work from home support the family as they keep their eyes on the long term: school, and a better future.

“The most positive people that I’ve interacted with in my life have been physicians and educators,” says Vincent. “These professions represent the pinnacle of wisdom and compassion. My aspirations are a blending of the two fields. I’m motivated to become a physician-scientist because I can provide comfort to the community, while also pursuing answers to complex medical problems.”

He also plans to be the kind of person he sought out as a teen. “I want to mentor others and help them see a path that transcends generations of poverty, drug addiction, work ethic, morality and other factors.”