Pamela Jane Palisoc

Wright College Student Follows Heart To a Career in Sciences

Pamela Jane Palisoc moved to Chicago from the Philippines with her family in the summer of 2013. With two years of studying civil engineering under belt, she knew she wanted to continue to pursue her education. However, the more research she did, the more expensive college seemed to be. Then, she found Wright College – it was close to home, affordable, and many of her math credits transferred in. She knew this would be a good place to start her college experience in the U.S., and complete the prerequisites she would need when she transferred on to pursue her knew passion: physical therapy.

Always interested in medicine, Pamela had studied civil engineering in the Philippines because her family knew it would lead to a good job. In Chicago, she had a little more freedom to follow her interests, and knew a job would be easier to find.

When she arrived on campus, Pamela jumped right in – she was part of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, the Filipino-American Club, the American Chemical Society, and the pre-physical therapy club. With her sights set on transferring to UIC, Pamela also kept up an impressive GPA while at Wright. She was a PTK All-Illinois Academic Team member in 2016, and was selected as a Chicago Scholar in 2015-16.

In the spring of 2016, Pamela graduated with her associate degree from Wright and transferred to UIC, where she discovered a love of neuroscience. While at UIC, Pamela was a part of the honors college as well as being named a UIC Impact Scholar.

“Transitioning to UIC was not difficult, because Wright prepared me so well. Starting out at Wright was the best decision I could have made,” said Pamela.

She graduated from UIC in December of 2018 magna cum laude, with the highest distinction in neuroscience. She currently works at a research lab on campus, focusing on immunohistochemistry and neuroscience-related work. Planning to move on to medical school, Pamela plans to become a neuroscientist or a neurologist and move to the west coast where she hopes there isn’t as much snow.

Her advice to other students is, “You will always experience difficulties, but never give up on your dreams and always follow your heart.”