Clad in a white lab coat, goggles and latex gloves, senior Judi Abdelrazik steps into her workstation. Her hands carefully pipette the serums into their containers. Judi’s mind fills with visions of the good this research could do for marginalized groups. Since sophomore year, Judi conducted analytical chemistry-based research at the Stanford Anatomic Pathology & Clinical Laboratories, researching autoimmune diseases and how to adjust doses of their medication. 

Judi’s passion for research stems from her drive for discovery and her desire to make a meaningful impact on communities. As an immigrant who has lived in diverse countries like Egypt and Germany, she hopes to use her medical research to improve healthcare accessibility in areas like the Middle Eastern and North African regions. 

“You can create something out of pretty much nothing,” Judi said. “I really like being the only person in the world that knows something specific. When you’ve discovered something, you have the opportunity to share it with the rest of the world, and it’s solely in your hands.”

Judi savors the problem-solving aspects of research and how they reduce school-related stress. She emphasizes the importance of societal contributions coming from different people, a vital aspect of her work personalizing medicine for poorer regions of the world.

“Research makes me understand that things are fixable and there’s probably a solution,” Judi said. “With stress and schoolwork especially, I’m like, ‘All right, take deep breaths and think of new ways to approach something.’ It changes my lens on things because it makes me more appreciative of the things that we’ve discovered as a society. Everything new is built off of what’s already been established.”

History teacher James Tate recalls Judi’s delicious apple pie and positive attitude during AP US History class her junior year. He values her as a student open to discourse in the classroom.

“She’s very supportive and she likes to hear what other people have to say,” Tate said. “She had a focus on looking at underserved people and marginalized people. She asked questions like, ‘How did marginalized people get affected by various things we did in US history? How do people recover from that?’”

To close friend senior Sophia Bagley, Judi’s work as a Link Crew Leader serves as an example of her continued dedication to improving the community. Both of them joined Harker in frosh year, and she highlighted Judi’s leadership now in helping incoming frosh feel seen.

“She’s outspoken,” Sophia said. “If she has a question, she’s not afraid to ask it. If she has a disagreement, she’s not afraid to voice that, and if she is confused, she won’t hesitate to ask questions. She feels deeply for other people and cares a lot for her relationships, and that is reflected further in the wider community.”

Judi brings optimism to her volleyball team, where she deepens her relationships with her teammates through infectious positivity. Starting out volleyball on the Harker team in her frosh year, Judi truly fell in love with the sport in her sophomore year when she began playing club with Academy Volleyball. 

As Academy’s captain, a testament to her intense enthusiasm for the game, Judi is known to slap the ground and jump up while cheering for her team. She stressed the importance of teamwork and support positions, especially for her defensive role as libero.

“All I do is pass, so helping other people is mainly my job,” Judi said. “It shows that life is collaborative. It’s not one person only. You need other people to thrive, and it’s a good reminder to rely on others and to not be so harsh on yourself. It’s about that positive attitude.”

Close friend senior Ruhi Banerjee met Judi during their six weeks of summer geometry before high school, and the two have been inseparable ever since. She looks back on the many hilarious memories and moments they shared together, including Judi’s love of sphere ice and penchant for dramatic wit.

“One thing super special about her is she can always make me laugh and she always knows what to say,” Ruhi said. “She’s very quick on her feet, too, when she’s thinking of jokes. She’s a very positive bubbly person, so she’s a very active part of the community.”

From researching autoimmune diseases to leading on the volleyball court, Judi utilizes an optimistic attitude to help others in the community gain their own confidence. She radiates positivity, encouraging others at large through volleyball, Link Crew and beyond.

“I’m proud that I can have an effect on someone’s life and actually help someone,” Judi said. “Community means so much to me, so I like being a happy face. I really do try to smile in the hall and always say hi to everyone.”