KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 29, 2025

Like many of his classmates, Kennesaw State University junior David Roque spent his summer in the tropics.

Rather than relaxing on beaches, ziplining through jungles, or exploring ruins, Roque spent a second consecutive summer working at his father’s medical clinic in Poptún, Guatemala, handling myriad duties including check-in examinations, serving as a translator, and assisting with surgeries.

“I got to do a lot of tasks,” said Roque, a biology student in the College of Science and Mathematics. “I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity because not everybody gets to experience this.”

Poptún is Roque’s hometown in the state of Petén, which borders Mexico and Belize and occupies the thickly wooded part of Guatemala’s northern region. The clinic is one of few medical facilities in the region, and people travel from miles away to get medical care. Fluent in Spanish and English, Roque was an invaluable employee at the clinic, where he also observed surgeries and other clinical duties he hopes to perform in his own career in medicine.

Roque was never far from Kennesaw State, though, as he took a cell biology course remotely and checked in with his studies each day between shifts at the clinic. He also received a credit for his experience through the Keeping Sights Upward Journey Honors College.

“I was busy every day, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Roque said. “I learned so much, and I know now that medicine is the career for me.”

After graduating from Shiloh Hills Christian School in Kennesaw, Roque arrived at KSU with dual enrollment credits and a destination in mind: medicine. He chose biology for its relevance to his career and immediately recognized the need to conduct research. Through the First-Year Scholars program, he found his way to a project involving a controlled radiation capsule for treating cancer patients. This project yielded two publications for him in his first year. 

Professor of Electrical Engineering Hoseon Lee said he was happy to have a biology major like Roque to help with the research, which the group presented at the Symposium of Student Scholars in Spring 2024.

“This project heavily required an understanding of biology at the cellular level, understanding of nuclear radiation and radiation therapy, and how it kills the cells for low dose versus high dose radiation treatments, which David contributed to the team,” Lee said. “His knowledge and skills were critical to the study, and his ability to mesh with the engineering students helped advance the research. He was an excellent addition to the project.”

Roque continued with the project during his sophomore year and presented the research at  three conferences at Georgia Tech, at Posters at the State Capitol, and at the National Council on Undergraduate Research conference in Pennsylvania. From his participation in the project, Roque realized research and medicine go hand-in-hand and has added the desire to continue researching to his career plans.

“I never saw myself doing research, and now I'm getting more into it,” he said. “It's another world that I discovered.” 
 
Roque said the experience has made him more passionate about cancer research and he has written a proposal for a project along those lines. In any event, he remains committed to medicine as a career, which would make him part of the third generation of his family to pursue that profession. His grandfather was a respected physician in Cuba. His father, Francisco Roque, runs the clinic in Poptún, where his mother, Patricia Roque, works as a nurse. David Roque’s sister, Rashella Roque, will graduate from medical school in Guatemala this December.

While Roque had plotted his course thoroughly before arriving at KSU, his experiences on campus and beyond have served to reinforce his goal.

“It just feels like home here,” he said. “I have found my place, found my friends, and I have made a community.”

Story by Dave Shelles

Photos provided

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.