She graces the school’s halls with her intellect and compassion. She has poured her heart into her school work and the people around her. Although her time here is coming to an end, her commitment will always be remembered by the students and teachers she impacted. Saron Bitew’s remarkable legacy will continue to bring praise and honor to Eaglecrest High School while her presence livens the medical field.

Bitew’s acceptance into the prestigious BA/BS program at the University of Colorado in Denver (UCD) has set her apart from everyone else in her class. This program leads pre-medicine students entering their undergrad through internships and rigorous courses. Ultimately, it will take them directly from UCD to Anschutz Medical School.

The BA/BS program is highly revered due to the fact that Anschutz Hospital is the 9th highest ranked in the country when it comes to primary care. The likelihood of being accepted into the program mirrors the likelihood of getting accepted into an Ivy League school.

“I am so proud of Saron and all she’s accomplished because she’s been so dedicated to accomplishing her goals,” adds Kalkidan Seifu.

Bitew’s acceptance into this program is highly reflective of her dedication to medicine at her young age, but more importantly reflective of her dedication to her community. Bitew is incredibly involved in mentoring young girls in her church. She spends her weekends leading discussions with them and has established a space for Ethiopian American girls to voice their hardships along with volunteering with young children.

A friend of Bitew’s, Mary Merid, commented on her accomplishments “It’s really great being able to see other Ethiopian girls winning. I’m so proud of her.”

Bitew’s acceptance into UCD’s BA/BS program is seen as a great honor for her family and her community. As a first-generation student in America, she has overcome many obstacles in order to be in the place Bitew’s in right now. She sees this as an opportunity to be a doctor who looks like a severely.

“During a trip to Ethiopia I saw a doctor who looked like me treating patients that I was too afraid to look at and he was taking care of them,” replied Bitew.

She has also dedicated much of her time to volunteer in Ethiopia. She spent her summer interning with the chief Neurosurgeon at the Gondar University Hospital. During her time in Ethiopia, she comments on how her love for her people pushed her deeper into her desire to pursue medicine.

“It’s really important to see other Ethiopian Americans giving back to their community and it’s very inspiring to see that,” comments Merid.

Along with pursuing medicine, she hopes to better bridge the communication gap between medical professionals and patients by studying communications and applying the skills she obtains to help her patients.

Bitew said,“There is a huge disparity in communication when it comes to doctors and patient. I  especially want to be able to communicate with the patients within the community I’ll be working with by volunteering outside of my community.”

Bitew’s friends and family are overjoyed to witness her hard work finally pay off. Her dedication to her dreams has inspired the people around her.

Hanna Alemu added,“She’s very kind and super respectful. She’s impacted my life in more ways than you can think of.”

Saron Bitew stands out among her classmates due to her intellect, grace, and above all, her aspirations. Her love of medicine and the people around her has brought her this far and has established Bitew as an exceptional student. Her dedication is admired by all of those who have worked with her and will continue to impact her community.