Be the Reason: Miit Shah

College for Public Health and Social Justice Student

Before going to college, Miit Shah, a Saint Louis University public health major on a pre-med path, worried about the amount of loans he’d have to take out for his education and how he would pay them back after completing his degree.
 
“That was definitely the biggest issue that I had to worry about, knowing that I have four years of undergrad at SLU and then going on to med school after that,” said Shah. “The finances would just keep stacking up.”
 
Ultimately, Shah chose Saint Louis University for its pre-med program and the available scholarship support.
 
He received the Pell Grant. And, with support from Saint Louis University donors, he also received the Vice President Scholarship — lowering the amount of student loans he needed. 

The Full SLU Experience

Shah has had research opportunities in his academic program, including studying how cancer cells proliferate in the body and using technology to model the human brain. Outside the classroom, he’s involved with SLU’s Student Activities Board, a major student programming group, and One World Magazine, SLU’s social justice magazine.
 
“Being able to write for One World Magazine and having our compiled articles published around campus is an opportunity for social justice topic exposure that One World provides,” he said.

Accessing a Transformative Education

Shah already knew he wanted to pursue pre-med coursework when he first came to SLU. After taking a few classes and meeting pre-med students with different majors, he adjusted his path.
 
“I changed my major to public health to learn the behind-the-scenes of hospitals and the fabric, I guess, underneath the day-to-day of just the patient and doctor interaction,” he said.
 
He credits people at SLU and his involvement outside of the classroom with helping him determine the best major for his goals.
 
Shah said he plans to take a gap year before attending medical school after graduating from SLU. During that time, he wants to gain clinical experience working as a scribe or technician or in another, similar role. Following medical school, Shah would like to pursue a career either as a pediatrician or surgeon, he said.
 
Scholarship support has meant that he has been able to prioritize those goals.
 
“I would like to thank [donors] for providing me the scholarship because that allows me to focus on my studies, make experiences and just have a good time here at SLU without worrying about finances 24/7,” Shah said.

You can be the reason Saint Louis University students like Miit Shah are able to access a transformative education. Make your gift today.