Senior Spotlight: Newland Zhang
A graduating senior reflects on his opportunities and experiences at LJCDS.
Newland Zhang ’19 has been attending La Jolla Country Day School since fifth grade. He is on varsity tennis, Torrey Mock Trial since 10th grade, and also participated in robotics in freshman and sophomore year.
During his time at LJCDS, he has taken advantage of several internship opportunities. In the summer of his sophomore year, Newland interned with Dr. Gale Howard P’18 ’21 for two weeks—an internship he discovered through the school’s internship program. He shadowed Dr. Howard at her ophthalmologist clinic in Chula Vista. It was an enlightening experience because he was shown what it really takes to be a doctor. Being a Duke alumna, she also gave him his first introduction to Duke University.
His next internship through the school was made possible by Rita Albert P’20 ’22 ’25, executive director and founding member of ConnectMed International. Newland worked in their Carlsbad office helping the nonprofit with fundraising in order to fulfill their mission of improving access to surgical care in underserved communities. He learned the difference between running a nonprofit in comparison to a for-profit business and how much work goes into helping people.
In summer 2018, Newland interned with his best friend’s dad in Yuma, Arizona for one week in a cardiology clinic in one of Yuma’s largest hospitals. He shadowed heart surgeries and observed how the doctor talked to people who had serious heart diseases. “That was intense and helped me realize that being a doctor might not be the thing for me. As much as I want to help people like that, it’s tough,” Newland says as he reflects on the experience.
Newland shares that La Jolla Country Day School helped him thrive and presented him with a lot of opportunities that gave him leadership and social skills. “I think that the biggest thing [to note] is that those opportunities aren’t just handed to you, and they’re not forced on you. You have to take advantage of them otherwise they’ll just slip by.”
Newland will attend Duke University this fall after he graduates and is keeping his options open of what to study.
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La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
