Kelly Hyles“To be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” —Zig Ziglar

Kelly Hyles has taken the steps to become a winner and in fact, is winning already: the young woman, who has recently been accepted to 21 colleges, including all 8 Ivy League universities, is on a determined path to becoming a neurologist and the first college graduate in her family.

Already on the science track at the prestigious High School for Math Science and Engineering at City College, Kelly’s passion for the sciences was fueled even more upon participating in the Center for Excellence in Youth Education’s (CEYE) Biomedical Science Enrichment Program —a two-year program provided by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), which primarily services students in underserved neighborhoods ranging from junior high school to collegiate level, preparing them for careers in science and medicine. Matched to CEYE research mentor, Dr. Adolfo Garcia-Ocana, and working white coated in the School’s Diabetes, Obesity Metabolism Institute, Kelly recognizes the CEYE as a boon to her academic career saying, “It [the CEYE program] gives you the opportunity to explore your interests and show the colleges that you are a serious candidate.” Her plan has paid off as she muses over which of the 21 colleges she will attend this fall.

The best part of this experience for Kelly hasn’t been the inundation of media requests or the newfound celebrity her accomplishment has rendered, rather it’s been the overwhelming responses from individuals—both young and old—who view Kelly as an inspiration. This dynamic young lady already has plans to pay it forward: “I’m hoping that I can talk to the younger kids and tell them, ‘If you put your mind to it and put in the hard work anything you want, you can do.’ That’s really how I want to celebrate my acceptances.”

Acknowledging her own hurdles to success as a black woman from humble beginnings, she desires to encourage her peers from underserved neighborhoods who may be dismayed by their immediate circumstances to look past them and conquer societal obstacles to create their own success stories. She says of herself, “Yes, I’m Black and yes, I’m a woman, but you’re going to see just how great this woman can be.”

Watch Kelly’s interview with the TODAY show here.

Learn more about the CEYE program.

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