Undergraduate Biology Student Stella Potenti Set to Attend Harvard Medical School Immersion Day

With the assistance of the Schmidt College of Science’s Pre-Health Professions Office, sophomore biology major Stella Potenti applied to the HOPE Medical Scholars Program and was invited to attend an exclusive immersion day at Harvard Medical School. As a future physician who is passionate about caring for others, Potenti is eager to attend this special event on April 18.   

“I am excited to attend this program because it will offer me insights about this prestigious institution, allow me to learn what life is like as a Harvard medical student, and give me the opportunity to engage with faculty and develop clinical skills,” stated Potenti.  

Among her many accomplishments, Potenti is a Soar-in-4 Scholar, and she is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Learning Environment and Academic Research Network (LEARN™) Scholar through the F-LEARN™ program.  

“My experience as a Soar-in-4 Scholar has been incredibly enriching. The program has connected me with invaluable mentors like Dr. Evonne Rezler and Gina Jones, whose guidance has made navigating my academic journey much easier,” expressed Potenti. “Florida Atlantic’s Pre-Health Office has been fundamental in my journey as a pre-med student. All my academic advisors are through the office, ensuring I stay on track with my grades while always being available for support.”  

In addition, Potenti appreciates the active encouragement from the Pre-Health Office to attend discussions and networking opportunities, as well as their sage guidance on how to create a path to medical school and take MCAT prep courses and join application panels.   

“The Pre-Health Office offers a Pre-Health Week every spring which is super beneficial because different medical school representatives come to Florida Atlantic and share their experiences, and you can talk with other pre-med students who have already gone through the process,” noted Potenti.  

Currently, Potenti is conducting research with Claudia Rodrigues, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Schmidt College of Medicine, where she is investigating how autophagy, a cellular recycling process, plays a role in doxorubicin-induced cardiovascular toxicity. The Honors in Research in Biology program student will present her research with Rodrigues at 15th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium on Friday, April 4, hosted by Florida Atlantic’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (OURI).  

“Witnessing my grandfather’s experience with chemotherapy helped me understand how these treatments can inadvertently damage healthy cells, as they cannot differentiate between good and bad cells,” shared Potenti. “Due to this personal connection, I am interested in investigating treatments that could potentially improve cardiovascular toxicity.” 

An active member of several student organizations, Potenti holds leadership roles as the vice president of the Italian Club, the vice president of the Council for Scholarship and Inquiry (CSI) within OURI, and the donation chair for the Community Service Club on campus. She is also a Gift of Life ambassador at Florida Atlantic, to raise awareness about life-saving bone marrow donations. Off campus, she serves as an adult board member for Florida Girls Giving Back, a nonprofit organization in Broward County.  

Following her anticipated graduation in spring 2027, Potenti intends to apply to medical school.  

“I aim to create transformative change in both my future career as a physician and in research by advocating for interdisciplinary inquiry and improved health care communication,” expressed Potenti. “As Vice President of CSI, I actively promote research opportunities beyond STEM, encouraging students to explore diverse fields and understand that research is open to everyone. My experience working across disciplines has shown me the value of a broad academic perspective.”