He wants to improve health care options in his native Guam

Neuroscience major Keone Aliphios ’20 had no hesitation about traveling to the East Coast from his home island of Guam in Micronesia. A high school physics teacher had told him that college was a “good time to be uncomfortable and gain new experiences.” While Aliphios was excited to be accepted to Johns Hopkins, he knew he would miss his island home. But he was determined. His dream? To be a neurosurgeon in Guam.

“A few years ago, my cousin had a brain aneurysm. Guam doesn’t have many neurosurgeons, but lucky for my cousin, one was visiting from Hawaii, and he helped make her better. I have a lot of dreams for Guam.”