Years of Showing Up
From Portland to Pre Med
Julia-Gabriela Palacios committed herself to running for six years. Through cross country and track at Gregory-Portland High School, the sport gave her both joy and steadiness. Nothing else she tried held her attention for as long.
Finding Peace
Six years of showing up helped reinforce one of the guiding ideas of her life: Do not let the things you cannot control dictate how you live. Worrying about them only adds stress that was never yours to carry. Letting them take their course is where she finds peace.
Her second guiding idea moves her forward: Do not let yourself stand between you and what you want. That conviction pushes her toward goals that may look impossible on paper.
A Calling Up Close
Julia-Gabriela first became interested in medicine during her sophomore year of high school. It became a serious goal after she saw the work up close. The medical professionals she encountered showed her the kind of difference she hopes to make for others.
She began building toward that goal early. At Gregory-Portland, she joined HOSA and the Science National Honor Society and served as Teachers Committee Head for the National Honor Society. She also volunteered with Triumph Over Kid Cancer and participated in several other school and service organizations.
Building Confidence Close to Home
Some of Julia-Gabriela’s most meaningful experiences have taken place right in her own community. At Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Portland, she volunteered at events serving people of all ages. She also tutored two bilingual elementary students, helping them strengthen their academic foundations while building confidence in themselves. Through it all, Julia-Gabriela has remained mindful of the example she is setting for her younger sister, hoping to show her the value of working hard and pursuing what matters.
Her younger sister is watching, and Julia-Gabriela wants her to see the value of working hard for what matters.
Today, Julia-Gabriela is studying biomedical sciences on the pre-med track at the University of Texas at Dallas, with a minor in kinesiology and an expected graduation year of 2030. She also received UT Dallas’s Academic Excellence Scholarship. She plans to attend medical school and is considering a career in sports medicine or oncology.
The Frazier Family Foundation believes that no one’s potential should be limited by where they live or circumstances beyond their control. Julia-Gabriela brings that same conviction to the life she is building—from Portland to Dallas and, eventually, to the communities she hopes to serve through medicine.
Learn more about our scholars and the Frazier Family Foundation’s mission to open doors for tomorrow’s leaders at https://www.frazierff.org/news.
