Donor support helps graduate student champion women’s health

When Marieliv Flores Villalobos left her hometown of Trujillo, Peru, to study at the University of Alberta, she brought with her a deep commitment to women’s health and social justice. With degrees in communications and women’s studies, she’s now pursuing doctoral research in public health — and finding a home away from home. 

The transition to the U of A has been made easier thanks to her family’s encouragement and the financial support she has received from donors.

Scholarships supported by generous alumni and donors are part of the Shape the Future campaign, a fundraising initiative dedicated to student success by providing financial assistance, experiential learning opportunities and enhanced student spaces. Gifts to the campaign help students like Flores Villalobos, who will make a positive impact in local communities and around the world.

“Having this support allows you to find these certain moments of joy whenever you may feel sad because you are away from your culture or family.” Flores Villalobos says.

Flores Villalobos' doctoral research focuses on women’s reproductive health, specifically during the pandemic, in preparation for future global health crises.

“From a public perspective, we can learn how to better address these issues and what tools we should have to help people, especially women who, for years, have been underrepresented in health research.”

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You gave shape to the future.

Together, we raised $147M to support U of A students through the Shape the Future campaign. Because of you, students are already benefiting from scholarships, experiences and spaces that are shaping their futures.

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As she looks ahead to defending her thesis in 2027, Flores Villalobos is dreaming big. She aspires to have her own research lab dedicated to the health of women and the 2SLGBTQ+ community, or to apply her expertise globally through organizations like the United Nations. 

She remains deeply grateful to those donors who helped her “realize her dreams” and is determined to one day pay that generosity forward. 

“If you’re thinking about making a gift to the university, don’t think that you are just donating money to an institution,” she says. “Think about how you are making a connection to a student and what that student represents. I have experienced how meaningful and impactful it is to receive scholarships, and I hope in the future I can help others too.”