Meet the graduates: Emily Barcenas Perez ’22

Emily Barcenas Perez ’22

Emily Barcenas Perez ’22 will pursue the next step in her career at the University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry—a path that began when she was seven years old and accompanied her mother to orthodontic appointments.

“It was incredible seeing how metal brackets and wires could change someone’s smile,” she said. “Going to my own regular dental visits over the years was a fun experience, too. Almost every time my dentist saw me, he was gracious enough to spend extra time talking about dentistry and would patiently answer my questions.”

Emily transferred to Randolph during her sophomore year and said the College’s biology department has prepared her for the future.

“Randolph’s program is quite rigorous and has given me all the tools I need to get to this point in my career,” she said. “My favorite part of being a biology major is the hands-on experience we get in the lab. The dental school curriculum is challenging, but the preparation I have received here will allow me to achieve my goals and succeed.”

Emily has been active in many areas of life behind the Red Brick Wall. A student-athlete on the volleyball team, she’s also taken on roles with residence life, was a Community Fellow, and served as a Davenport Leader.

She hopes to eventually work with low-income families, to ensure they receive dental care on a regular basis.

“I would love to open my own private practice where I can improve my community’s dental health one patient at a time,” she added.