A Dual Degree and a Deeper Purpose
In May 2025, Moolaweh graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) cum laude with not one, but two degrees—a B.A. in English with a focus in creative nonfiction and a B.S. in molecular and biomedical biology—along with minors in chemistry and medical humanities. She also earned a distinction in community engagement, a reflection of her deep commitment to serving others.
Deeply passionate about medicine, Moolaweh has always known she wanted to become a physician. Her experiences as a patient helped shape that path, fueling a desire to provide care that is compassionate and well-informed. As a research assistant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the family medicine department, she’s worked on projects focused on populations in need, even tying that work into her honors thesis exploring language and health-related topics like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Empowering Others Through Leadership and Mentorship
A proud advocate for first-generation students, Moolaweh served as co-director of UNO’s First Generation Student Agency, a role that allowed her to build community, host events, and create space for students navigating college without a family roadmap. Her leadership extended to mentoring others through the Karen Student Association, where she helped younger students secure major scholarships, including the Susan Thompson Buffett Scholarship.
College Possible has been a meaningful part of Moolaweh’s story since high school. She remembers the after-school sessions that helped her get through the intimidating college application process and still values the consistency and care from her coaches over the years. “It has been so comforting to know that support is always there,” she says. “Just because I didn’t always respond didn’t mean anyone gave up on me.”
Despite facing health challenges during college, including surgery and hospitalization, Moolaweh pushed through, uplifted by the support of mentors and the belief that her story matters. She’s proud of the community she built within UNO’s English and Honors departments and grateful for opportunities she earned along the way, including being selected as a commencement speaker and receiving two recognitions from the Department of English, including Outstanding Creative Nonfiction Major.
Since graduating, Moolaweh spent the summer studying for the MCAT and preparing to apply for an international health internship focused on maternal and fetal health. This upcoming semester, she will begin a new role as an English teaching assistant at UNO, where she’ll teach Composition I. Eventually she hopes to become a clinician educator, combining research, teaching, and patient care to serve communities in need both locally and abroad.
Reflecting on her journey, she knows the lessons from College Possible—persistence, mentorship, and making space for others—will continue to shape her journey. “I don’t think I would have been in college at all without College Possible,” she says. “Now I get to be the person I needed when I was younger, for my siblings, my mentees, and the communities I care about.”
Celebrating First-Generation Student Day
Moolaweh’s story is one of many being celebrated on First-Generation College Student Day on November 8, a time to honor students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. For Moolaweh, that milestone represents more than a degree—it’s a lifelong dream made possible through resilience, support, and a deep desire to care for others.
“It has been so comforting to know that support is always there.”
