Debye Conte tried many times since graduating high school to advance her education. But each time she enrolled in college classes, life got in the way and forced her to shelve her plans.
Thirty years later, she is finally living out her dreams. The future grandmother is a UC Merced
doctoral candidatestudying
Quantitative Systems Biology.She is conducting
researchon hypertension physiology.
“It’s been a battle all the way through,” she said listing off the times she enrolled in classes but never quite got to the degree. “I never stopped trying though, and for me it’s been about the journey.”
Conte’s journey led her from an upbringing where
finances were tightand family emergencies were the norm to a stable family life that was finally able to support her decision to continue her education. She admits that at first she wanted an associate’s degree in anything, but a knack for science and some guidance from instructors eventually led her to a
bachelor’s degreeand then to Professor
While an undergrad, Conte worked as a
labtechnician for Ortiz and other campus scientists. She said the exposure to graduate students, the research she was helping move along and encouragement from her husband and three children gave her the inspiration to apply to the quantitative systems biology program.
The work is challenging, but Conte said she is determined to finish to prove to others that if you never give up hope, all things are possible.
“My son is about to graduate high school,” she said.”He’s applying to some really good schools; I like to think him watching me go through this had something to do with that.”
